Thomas & Friends: Reviews Of The TV Show
by ThomasEmilyFan
Summary: Here I will be reviewing the TV series and movies of Thomas & Friends. Allow me to tell you guys that everything you're about to see does not reflect on the opinions of the Thomas & Friends fanbase but from myself. Enjoy!
1. Season 1 (1984)

Development for the show started back as early as 1979 when Britt Allcroft received the copyrights to the _Railway Series_ written by the _Reverend W. Awdry_. And so production began around the first season of _Thomas The Tank Engine &amp; Friends_, based around the first eight books in the _Railway Series._ As far as 30 years back from now, was it a success? If you wanna know my answer to this, read and find out...

**1\. Thomas And Gordon/Thomas Gets Tricked**

And so we begin with the pilot of the episode and it just happens to be one of the best Thomas episodes ever made. It was a good adaptation of the original story and I would rather have this then Down The Mine as a pilot episode. I believe that this episode deserves a solid **10/10**.

**2\. Edward And Gordon/Edward Helps Out**

Wow! We come to the second episode of the entire TV series and it's just brilliant. A great introduction to one of my all time favorite characters Edward. It's another brilliant adaptation and a very clever idea to merge two stories together. It takes a lot of courage to be someone like Edward but there was one thing I didn't like. Since the Railway Series was out of order at the beginning, the narrator says that the other engines were all bigger than Edward and boasted about it, especially Thomas, who happens to be very good friends with Edward? It makes sense that he was there with the other engines as their station pilot but the narrator could have said that most of them were bigger than Edward. I think this episode deserves a **9.8****/10** because it just had that minor fault. Everything else about it was great.

**3\. The Sad Story Of Henry/Come Out, Henry!**

A bit of a step down from the last two episodes but not by that much. I have nothing against the Reverend W. Awdry's stories and it's another faithful adaptation but I feel that this episode could've gone better with more action throughout. I do feel that it was harsh of The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt to consequence Henry the way he did and it just struck me in the UK version to think how he would be there _for always and always and_ always. Overall, I still think it's a pretty good episode so I'll give a **9/10**.

**4\. Edward, Gordon And Henry/Henry To The Rescue**

This one was kind of an improvement. Everyone's in character, especially Gordon while we see that his pride gets the better of him. If there's something I don't like about the character development of the big engines, it's always how they see Edward as old and unreliable, no matter how many times he has to prove himself but it seems realistic that Edward and Henry would only be able to pull the express together. Overall, I think it's a **9.5/10** for me.

**5\. Thomas' Train/A Big Day For Thomas**

Meh. I've seen better. It's a very faithful adaptation and I do love Thomas' theme music in this season. It reminds me of happy things. Despite the moral of patience being used perfectly in this episode, I do feel sorry for Thomas and how he is looked down upon by the big engines. I guess it's an **8.8/10** for me. It was very enjoyable compared some episodes we've started seeing in the 1990s.

**6\. Thomas And The Trucks/Trouble For Thomas**

Now this is more like it. I haven't seen episode this good since Edward And Gordon/Edward Helps Out. Rumor has it a little have been going around that Edward being one of the engines cross with Thomas at the beginning was a visual mistake forgiven by the sign of the show's early stages but any engine would be annoyed with Thomas by how he was behaving at the beginning. Ah well, that's not really important. What is, however, is the episode itself. It's another favorite for me. The music is top notch and the shots of Thomas rolling down Gordon's Hill are very good. I do feel that they done better model work on the trucks/freight cars like how they did with the succeeding season. On the whole, it's always worth the watch and I do feel that it deserves a **9.6/10**.

**7\. Thomas And The Breakdown Train/Thomas Saves The Day**

This a good step and an improvement. It's a great adaptation and finally, after several cameos throughout the previous episodes, we are properly introduced to James. Thomas' courage is great and it's nice to see how he becomes really useful and earns some sort of respect from the big engines. It could, though, whether or not Thomas came back for the breakdown train or not. It's an excellent watch and that's why I think it deserves a solid **10****/10**.

**8\. James And The Coaches/James Learns A Lesson**

Here is where we get to know the character James a little better. His personality is shown and his theme in this episode is great. There was a small nitpick though. It stated that James could _well remember that dreadful accident on his first day_ but he's been on Sodor longer then the events of the last episode. Also, James could've learnt from his first telling off from The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt from he behaved towards the coaches and I did feel sorry for him at the end, knowing what the consequences of his misadventure in this episode would lead too. So therefore it's a **9.4/10** for me.

**9\. Troublesome Trucks/Foolish Freight Cars**

A much better episode here. I loved James' triumphant theme for it suits the storyline of James' courage well and it's nice to see how much James has learnt from the events of the last episode. Though I don't get why Thomas was shunting James' trucks when he was supposed to be on his branch line. Surely one of the big engines could have taken his place since they tease James in the next episode. It's a **9.8****/10** for me. It was that good in my opinion.

**10\. James and The Express/A Proud Day For James**

Wow! Another episode adapted to perfection! James' personality is great and it's nice to see, yet again, how Gordon's arrogance gets the better of him. This episode showed some railway realism about signals and it started a friendly rivalry between James and Gordon which would carry on later in the series. I don't think you guys would know what I'm talking about there. But I think this deserves yet another **10/10**.

**11\. Thomas And The Guard/Thomas And The Conductor**

And now we come to the _Tank Engine Thomas Again_ adaptation where we explore more of Thomas on his branch line and as a start, it is adapted perfectly. I love Thomas' theme and both narrators do a great job. However, like I said before, I have against the Reverend W. Awdry's stories or how he developed the characters but...don't you think Thomas would've heard Annie and Clarabel while going at that speed? Anyway, it's still a pretty good episode and that's why I think it deserves a **9.1/10**.

**12\. Thomas Goes Fishing**

Now, this is a pretty good way to continue the adventures of Thomas on his branch line. This is where Thomas discovers his dislike for fish and well...I don't if I have much more to say about this episode. It's very well adapted and I just feel it's always worth the watch. That's why I think this deserves a **9.9****/10**.

**13\. Thomas, Terrence And The Snow/Terrence The Tractor**

I never liked Thomas' attitude towards Terrence in this episode. Again, no offense to the Reverend W. Awdry. He was a great man who wrote great stories that became successful enough to be put on television but I feel that Thomas kind of takes on the personality of either Gordon or James in this episode would and I always felt sorry for Terrence. Other then that, it's always a great watch for me and perfectly adapted. That's why it's a **9.3/10** for me.

**14\. Thomas And Bertie/Thomas And Bertie's Great Race**

This had always been a favorite of mine ever since I was a child. Bertie's theme is spot on, the narration is very enthusiastic and it has a nice simple plot that introduces a road vs. rail theme. So it's a solid **10/10** for me. I know you guys would probably agree with me on this one.

**15\. Tenders And Turntables**

Hmm...this was a nice one. It was faithful to the original story but there was a major problem with this and I think you guys might know what I'm talking about. Britt Allcroft wanted to produce 26 episodes for this season and for Henry And The Elephant being the first episode not to be adapted in RWS order, I must say I am quite disappointed. It really seemed like Henry went on strike for no odd reason because nothing that bad happened to him. It was a good watch but I would've definitely had Henry And The Elephant before this one. Ah well. You can't have it all, right? Anyway, it's a **9.1/10** for me. It was pretty good besides the major fault with how it was adapted.

**16\. Trouble In The Shed**

Now here is an awesome episode. The moral about doing what you are told and how consequences may be severe is perfect concerning the big engines. Although, I do feel that James is sort of a hypocrite for saying that Edward has black wheels. We are introduced to Percy and his personality to start with is great. I also love how his theme is handled in this episode. It's nice and peaceful but there was one little nitpick: why were all the engines at the workshop covered and could it have been the wind that blew the covers off Percy? Who knows. Anyway, it's a **9.9/10** for me. It was that enjoyable in my opinion.

**17\. Percy Runs Away**

And so we come to the end of the _Troublesome Engines Trilogy_ or should been a quadrilogy? Enough about that. Anyway, it's another great watch for me. We expand upon the character Percy and it's actually the most development we see from the character throughout the whole season or in Awdry's case until the _Percy The Small Engin__e_ book. The near collision between Percy and Gordon was exhilarating and the music was done perfectly. Overall, it's a **9.8/10** for me.

**18\. Coal/Henry's Special Coal**

And so we begin with the _Henry The Green Engine_ adaptation and would it have been for the series to follow the RWS exactly, the engines would've all been numbered by this point. Back to the episode itself, like the rest of the season, it was adapted perfectly but just a little slow paced. That's all. Some episodes in this episode have the same problem but that doesn't give me a problem with any of the episode. Overall, it's a great watch and that's why it's a **9.4/10** for me.

**19\. The Flying Kipper**

Did I just find myself another all-time favorite? Yes, I think I did! This episode is regarded by fans to be one of the best episodes of all time and believe me, there's no questioning to why that is. The adaptation is to perfection, the sets of Sodor in the winter is beautiful and the crash, aw come on, that's nothing we've seen in our recent years since HIT took over the show and the music leading up to it was great. I know how many people think that the production was lazy from the looks of Henry's new shape but that doesn't really matter. Overall, it's a solid **10/10** in my opinion and I know how much you guys wouldn't beg to differ there.

**20\. Whistles And Sneezes**

Hmm...this episode was alright. Not my favorite though. It was nice to merge two stories together but I feel that this episode would have gone off better with a little faster pacing, that's all. I don't have much more to say about and that's why I'm giving this episode an **8.6/10**.

**21\. Toby And The Stout Gentleman/Toby The Tram Engine**

And so we are introduced to the last new character of the season: Toby. While it was slow paced, that didn't mean it was a great adaptation. Toby's theme is great and the sets of his old tramway are great. A few plot elements do make you feel very sorry for Toby though and there is one visual nitpick: Toby has the #7 on his side before meeting The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt. The end of the story kind of makes you wonder about the events of the next story. Overall, it's a **9.2/10** for me.

**22\. Thomas In Trouble/Thomas Breaks The Rules**

Now here is another favorite of mine. It was perfectly adapted and the new constable seems like a reasonable antagonist. Toby becomes a part of The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt's railway and the part with the butler is funny and memorable. Don't ask me why, I just don't take that part seriously for some reason. Overall, it's a solid **10/10** for me.

**23\. Dirty Objects/James In A Mess**

Here's another great one. James and Toby are in character and begin some kind of rivalry. Remember, I don't like how the big engines, like James for example, constantly look down on those who are older and seem weaker. Ah well, that's no biggie for me. The crash with the music leading up to it was great and we do see a bit more characterization out Percy since his introduction. It's always worth the watch and that's why a **9.7/10** for me.

**24\. Off The Rails/Gordon Takes A Dip**

And so we come to the _Gordon The Big_ Engine adaptation and it's pretty good to start off with. While I do feel that Gordon seems kind of grumpy for some odd reason and this episode is a little slow paced, it's another great adaptation and it shows how consequences may happen depending on your behavior. I don't really have much more to say about this episode but it's worth the watch and that's why I'm giving it a **9.4/10**.

**25\. Down The Mine**

Originally planned as the pilot episode of the season, it's still a very nice episode which will remain always remain one of my favorites of the season. I know the story _Leaves_ from the book was left out but that wasn't too much of a big deal considering that the plot of at the beginning of the episode links closely with the previous episode. Thomas' accident is based on a real-life incident from 1892 and the music leading up to it was great. The development of the two characters at the end always brings a smile to my face and both the narrators do a great job in that aspect. I was disappointed though that _Paint Pots And Queens_ didn't follow because the 26 episode count. It's still enjoyable anyway and that's why it's a **9.8/10**for me.

**26\. Thomas' Christmas Party**

This is a nice way to end off the season. What's better to end off a season like this other than a Christmas episode. I don't have much more to say about this. It didn't really matter that it didn't stick to the original title. Overall, it's a **9.3/10** for me.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, the first season of _Thomas The Tank Engine &amp; Friends_ starts off the show with a bang. We become introduced to seven characters who become part of the core character base during HIT's takeover of the season. It focused mainly upon the first eight books of the Railway Series and as a result, the stories are sweet and simple compared to the darker and more intense Season 2. The entire season is still a great after thirty years back as a history.

One thing I don't get though is the urgency to have only 26 episodes. I would have probably had 30 episodes instead and had Henry And The Elephant as part of the _Troublesome Engines_ adaptation. After that, I would have adapted _Paint Pots And Queens/Thomas Meets The Queen_ to continue after _Down The Mine_. Then I would have adapted _Leaves/The Trouble With Mud_ and _Percy And The Trousers/A Scarf For Percy_ to lead into _Thomas' Christmas Party_. Therefore we would have every story from the first eight books adapted for television. That would be cool, wouldn't it? An autumn episode leading into two wintry episodes.

Aside from that, this season remains in my top 5 favorites and that's why I think it deserves an overall rating of **9.6/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. Thomas And Gordon/Thomas Gets Tricked

2\. Thomas And The Breakdown/Thomas Saves The Day

3\. James And The Coaches/A Proud Day For James

4\. Thomas And Bertie/Thomas And Bertie's Great Race

5\. The Flying Kipper

6\. Thomas In Trouble/Thomas Breaks The Rules

7\. Thomas Goes Fishing

8\. Trouble In The Shed

9\. Edward And Gordon/Edward Helps Out

10\. Troublesome Trucks/Foolish Freight Cars

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Whistles And Sneezes

2\. Thomas' Train/ A Big Day For Thomas

3\. The Sad Story Of Henry/Come Out, Henry!

4\. Tenders And Turntables

5\. Thomas And The Guard/Thomas And The Conductor

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	2. Season 2 (1986)

Two years have passed since the first season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ has aired in 1984 and it turned out successful, prompting a second series which aired two years later in 1986. This time, it was based around Awdry's stronger works. Was it another great success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Thomas, Percy And The Coal/Double Trouble**

And so we start with the first episode of the second season and the first episode to be adapted from Christopher Awdry's works. In my opinion, it's severely underrated hence the fact that it was known for replacing _The Missing Coach_. It introduces the best friend relationship between Thomas and Percy. Percy's accident with the danger theme leading up to it showed signs of how much darker the series would get. The adaptation was great but it wasn't perfect because it ends with Thomas and Percy making up as friends. If I were Britt Allcroft, I would have had the episode Drip Tank to follow this one. Overall, it's a **9.6/10** for me. Yes, guys. For a start, it was that good.

**2\. Cows/A Cow On The Line**

And so we began with the _Edward The Blue Engine_ adaptation and it was originally intended to the pilot episode of the season. Now, this is a perfect adaptation but I would've preferred the previous episode as the pilot episode. This one was a bit too slow paced, but other then that, there was nothing else wrong with it. So i'll give it a **9.4/10**.

**3\. Bertie's Chase**

Oh my god. Three episodes in and I think I've found one of my all time favorites. This episode was perfect: the adaptation, the music, the plot, the character development, etc. I don't know if I have anything else to say about it but nothing bad of course. It's a solid **10/10** for me.

**4\. Saved From Scrap**

Great episode here. It was very well adapted and we become introduced to Trevor. It had a great theme about restoration and Trevor's theme is very catchy. Just a little slow paced, that's all. I think I'm gonna give this one a **9.5/10**.

**5\. Old Iron**

Oh my god! Five episodes in and I think I've found another one of my all time favorites. I think it's a bit of a shame that Edward is looked down upon by the big engines but James was perfect for the lead role. The episode had great direction and was very thrilling when Edward raced to the rescue after James. The visuals there were shot to perfection with the runaway theme music. An episode that made have more respect for engines like Edward. It is definitely a solid **10/10** for me.

**6\. Thomas And Trevor/A New Friend For Thomas**

Ok, I want to be quite clear with you guys. I know that this episode is based off the same story written by Christopher Awdry for an annual but...that annual story wasn't written until a year later in 1987. That means that this is the first episode in the series to be original, don't you think? Anyway, back to the episode itself. Like Saved From Scrap, it was very slow paced and therefore not really a favorite for me. But the plot made a lot of sense and at least Thomas wasn't rude to Trevor like he was to Terrence. We are introduced to the harbor and the sets look beautiful. Overall, this is a **9/10** for me.

**7\. Percy And The Signal**

And now we come to the _Percy The Small Engine_ adaptation and this a nice way to start it off. However, it did have it's problems. I never thought that Percy would cause so much trouble among the big engines to bring a disturbance in the yard. I do feel that how Percy handled backing signals could have been done with a bit more common sense. Anyway, I'd rather have this then see the little green engine try and make friends with animals or go hunting for monsters. I know that you guys might prefer this too. Despite it's faults, it's an**8.9/10** in my opinion.

**8\. Duck Takes Charge**

Poor Percy. It seems that ever since the incident with the signal, the big engines have began to lose respect for him and it makes him feel lonely in the yard. When it comes to the beginning of this episode, I'd hate to be in his shoes (lol, shoes, right?) Anyway, we do meet Duck, probably my favorite character introduced in this season and I really like his theme. The way Ringo Starr said _rubbish_ at the beginning was funny as it sounded like _rabbish_. The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt is totally in character at the end.

_This is MY railway and I give the orders._

I do feel that Percy and Duck could have handled their quarrel with the big engines in a better manner and I wasn't too fond of the confrontation scene at Tidmouth Sheds and Percy and Duck sat calmly on the "points?" Hmm...that could have been said better. Overall, it's a great watch and an awesome moral about standing up to bullies. That's why a **9.6/10** for me.

**9\. Percy And Harold/Percy Proves A Point**

Percy gets a job working with Thomas and Toby at the harbor and we are introduced to another new character Harold. The episode did feel like Thomas and Bertie, except with Percy and Harold bought into the fold. Ringo's voice for Harold always gives me a slight chuckle and there's nothing really wrong with this episode. Just a bit of slow pacing. That's all. Anyway, I think I'll give a **9.4/10**.

**10\. The Runaway**

And so we have another story adapted from _More About Thomas The Tank Engine_ and despite cutting out Thomas and Percy's argument, this one turned out excellent. The music at the end always bring a smile to my face. Overall, it's a **9.6/10** for me.

**11\. Percy Takes The Plunge**

Good adaptation, bad timing. I don't know what the producers, Britt Allcroft in particular, were thinking when they didn't adapt Percy's Promise before this. I would've left this episode for season 3 with an adaptation of _The Fat Controller's Engines_ and adapted Percy's Promise to finish off the _Percy The Small Engine_ adaptation instead. Back to the episode itself, I think that Bill and Ben could have been briefly painted black to resemble Jinty and Pug from the Railway Series but that was no big deal. The episode had a great moral about listening to instructions and I like the mix of Percy's theme and the danger theme, leading up to the accident with the enthusiasm put towards Ringo's narration. On the whole, it's a **9.4/10** for me. Great episode, it was just in the wrong place. That's all.

**12\. Pop Goes The Diesel**

And so we come to the infamous _Duck And Diesel Trilogy_, my favorite trilogy in all of Thomas history. It doesn't matter that _Domeless Engines/Gordon And The Famous Visitor_ wasn't adapted before this. The original story didn't really make much use to the book's main plot. Here we are introduced to the series' titular antagonist Diesel and his theme music sure proves it. I think this marks a benchmark in both Ringo Starr and George Carlin's narration for the season. Both narrators do it so well that the script is so memorable. The close up of Diesel jerking the trucks/cars forward always made me jump and I do like how the trucks have modeled faces in this series. This definitely a solid **10/10** for me.

**13\. Dirty Work/Diesel's Devious Deed**

A bang-up continuation of the trilogy. Some people prefer the American title better but maybe _Dirty Work_ refers to Diesel's task throughout the episode. This episode is so worth watching that I know every line by heart. We actually see how Diesel takes in becoming a troublemaker for The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt's railway, even if he is doing what he believes is morally right. There was nothing wrong with the character development of any of the characters, especially Gordon, James and Henry despite having smaller ones. It could have shown how Diesel came up with so many lies but maybe it just came in his head. I did feel sorry for Duck in the end when he was sent to Edward's station but it really leaves you on the edge of your seat for the next episode. It's another **10/10** for me. It was that awesome.

**14\. A Close Shave/A Close Shave For Duck**

Considered by many fans to be the best in the trilogy, it's not hard to see why. It's just as worth watching as the two preceding episodes. It had a very happy ending to a great trilogy and it has another one of those great crashes that you'll never see when HIT took over the show. It's worth watching again and again and that's why I'm giving yet another solid **10/10**.

**15\. Better Late Than Never**

Here's another good adaptation. The repairs theme will always remain one of my all time favorites by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell and the music at the end with Thomas bringing the passengers is another favorite piece. It expands a bit upon the rail vs. road rivalry between Thomas and Bertie. I don't think there's much more to say about it. It's always a great watch and that's why I'm giving it a **9.9/10**.

**16\. Break Van/Donald And Douglas**

And so we come an adaptation of _The __Twin Engines_, though I think this would gone off better as another trilogy with _The Missing Coach_ filmed before it. Parents read Railway Series books to their children all the time. I think that, therefore, the plot for _The Missing Coach_ would not have been confusing at all. Back to the episode itself, it was another enjoyable watch and we are introduced to Donald and Douglas, the first pairs of twins in the series. Even though the beginning was rushed and does not bring this adaptation to perfection, the Spiteful Brake Van works out great as a villain and the shots at Gordon's Hill of Douglas smashing the brake van was gripping. On the whole, it's a bit of an underrated episode and I think it deserves a **9.3/10**.

**17\. The Deputation**

Considered by fans to be the best Donald and Douglas episode of all time, I couldn't agree more. I have no idea why Thomas and Toby took no part in the deputation, maybe they were busy at the harbor or something. It was a very good adaptation but it could've gone off better with faster pacing and maybe more action throughout. Besides that, it's a **9.6/10** for me.

**18\. Thomas Comes To Breakfast**

And so we continue this season with an adaptation of _Branch Line Engines_. I call it the _Branch Line Engines Trilogy_ while others may call it _Daisy For Hire_. It was adapted perfectly but, come on, how come Donald and Douglas weren't painted blue like in the Railway Series? Other then that, it's always worth the watch and the danger theme leading up to Thomas' crash showed how dark and dramatic these stories could possibly get. On the whole, I think I'm giving this a **9.9/10**.

**19\. Daisy**

A nice follow-up to the previous episode. It is a bit of a shame that it wasn't in chronological when Thomas first aired in the US on Shining Time Station. The adaptation was great and Daisy's theme is nice but, this may shock you guys, Daisy is my least favorite character introduced in this season. Don't get me wrong, she's a very interesting character and her model was great but you wanna know my problem is with her? Not her personality, she matured throughout her time on Sodor, but the fact that she was just in this episode and the next one for the adaptation. Furthermore, she only made a season 4 comeback to complete the adaptation. This proves that somehow, she hasn't yet evoked any interest from the writer...or just yet. It's a fine watch and a great adaptation and that's why I think it deserves a **9.3/10**.

**20\. Percy's Predicament**

This was a good ending to the _Branch Line Engines_ trilogy and the music leading up to Percy's crash with Ringo's enthusiastic narration was brilliant. George did a pretty good job too. However, I would have put _Bulls Eyes_ in between like I would have done for _Drip Tank_ and _The Missing Coach_ because the events of _Bulls Eyes_ are referenced at the end of the episode. I did feel sorry for Percy and it's nice to see how the events of this episode would teach Daisy a thing or two about working hard. I don't get though why the narrator said Percy had never been to Anopha Quarry before when he was there with Toby in _Percy And Harold/Percy Proves A Point_. On the whole, it's a **9.8/10** for me._  
_

**21\. The Diseasel**

Here is where we begin an adaptation for _Main Line Engines_ and it was pretty good to start off with. We are properly introduced to Bill and Ben and we meet BoCo, another character who barely evoked any interest among the writers but from Britt Allcroft herself to expand upon his character into her written works. There were visual errors though, like BoCo's face mask for instance. I think it's safe to say it's basically Daisy's face mask without the make up and another visual error: when Bill chuffs up beside BoCo, he changes from the left to the right side. Other than that, the character development was spot on, especially Edward at the end, and Bill and Ben are also favorites of mine since they have evoked interest among the new writing team. On the whole, I think I'll give this episode another **9.8/10**.

**22\. Wrong Road**

Great adaptation. A bit of a shame that _Buzz, Buzz/James Goes Buzz, Buzz_ wasn't adapted before it. Just another for sticking to a 26 episode count. Other than that, it's a great watch and I love the music at the beginning so I'm giving this a **9.6/10**.

**23\. Edward's Exploit**

Here we go. An episode adapted to perfection the best one since _the Duck and Diesel Trilogy_. The character development was great. Again, it's just a bit of a shame that the big engines still have no respect for Edward at the beginning. However, this episode regained their faith in Edward and like probably all of you guys, it earned him my respect too. But it's a brilliant adaptation, considered by fans to be a season 2 favorite, and so I give this a solid **10/10**.

**24\. Ghost Train/Percy's Ghostly Trick**

Some people were scared of this episode as a child, some weren't. I was but it doesn't really scare me to this day. I prefer Ringo's narration over George, no offense taken there I hope, but both narrators did this at their bests. Ringo just sounded more spooky, that's all. It's always a great watch, especially on Halloween and so I give this episode a **9.8/10**.

**25\. Woolly Bear**

I don't have too much to say about this episode. I love the music at the beginning and again, it's adapted perfectly. It doesn't matter that _Mavis_ and _Toby's Tightrope_ didn't follow. The plot there differed completely and the producers probably didn't have Mavis' model ready at the time. Overall, it's a **9.1/10** for me.

**26\. Thomas And The Missing Christmas Tree**

For an ending to a season, it works great for a Christmas. I'm still a little disappointed that Donald and Douglas never made it into a blue livery. It was a little rushed and I'm disappointed that the party at the end didn't include Daisy, but yet Diesel was there after being sent packing. Maybe, as a resident of Sodor, he was invited. I don't have much more to say about this episode but it's a slightly better finale then _Thomas' Christmas_ Party. Overall, it's a **9.4/10** for me.

**Overall Views:**

Considered by many fans to be the best Thomas season ever, I don't find it hard to see why. While the stories in the first season are based upon the first eight books in the Railway Series and, therefore, sweet and simple, the stories in this season are based upon some of Awdry's stronger works and are therefore darker, more dramatic and more action-packed then the first season. The music was great, especially the danger theme and it introduced some pretty interesting characters. The narration was also spot-on. It was sad to see Ringo Starr leave but he did leave on a high note.

Again, while this season was also pretty faithful to the Railway Series, it could have gone off better adaptation-wise. Like the first season, I would have probably produced about 30 episodes with _Drip Tank_ being adapted as the second episode in the season, _Percy's Promise_ being in place of _Percy Takes The Plunge_, _The Missing Coach_ being placed in front of _Break Van/Donald And Douglas_, _Bulls Eyes_ being placed between _Daisy_ and _Percy's Predicament_ and _Buzz, Buzz/James Goes Buzz Buzz_ being placed in front of _Wrong Road_. But again, you can't have it all right?

Big question you guys might have for me is...do I consider this to be the best Thomas season ever produced? Yes, I do, but on par with the first season. I don't actually see any superiority between the first two seasons of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ because they're both very faithful to the Railway Series. That's why my overall rating for this season is **9.6/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. Bertie's Chase

2\. Old Iron

3\. Pop Goes The Diesel

4\. Dirty Work/Diesel's Devious Deed

5\. A Close Shave/A Close Shave For Duck

6\. Edward's Exploit

7\. Better Late Than Never

8\. Thomas Comes To Breakfast

9\. Percy's Predicament

10\. Percy's Ghostly Trick

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Percy And The Signal

2\. Thomas And Trevor/A New Friend For Thomas

3\. Woolly Bear

4\. Break Van/Donald And Douglas

5\. Daisy

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	3. Season 3 (1991-1992)

After re-narrating the majority of his work from _Thomas The Tank Engine &amp; Friends_ for the US on Shining Time Station, Ringo Starr left the world of Thomas on a high note, being replaced by Michael Angelis in the UK and George Carlin in the US. While the producers feel they have already adapted some of the best stories and the other stories have too many new characters, they decided to base half of the series off their own written stories. When season 3 aired, the Awdry family disapproved of how it turned out. Was it another great success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. A Scarf For Percy**

This is a very slow start to a season and not that great either. It was an okay adaptation but I have no idea why they didn't save it for season 1. I did feel sorry for Percy all throughout the episode and this is an adaptation that I feel to be out of place. Overall, I think I'll give it a **7****/10**. It wasn't that bad for a start either.

**2\. Percy's Promise**

Really? They're adapting this now? Why didn't they adapt this for the second season and put _Percy Takes The Plunge_ here in it's place. Other then that, it's a great adaptation and I always enjoyed it in my childhood years but again, the continuity. I'm guessing this works as a prequel to the season 2 episode after all. On the whole, I still enjoyed it and that's why I think it deserves a **9/10**.

**3\. Time For Trouble**

It's another nice adaptation for _The Eight Famous Engines_ but I don't get why they didn't adapt all four stories together. I liked the characterization with some kind of rivalry between Toby and James that they had slightly started in season 1. It's always a fun watch for me and that's why I think I'll give this a **7.4****/10**.

**4\. Gordon And The Famous Visitor**

Here's another good watch and a very good adaptation. I don't mind if it wasn't adapted along the _Duck And Diesel Trilogy_. It was not really needed there. But I feel that it was adapted in the place of _Gordon Goes Foreign_ but I'll get to that later. On the whole, it's quite enjoyable, especially the music at the beginning, and that's why I'm giving an **8.1/10**.

**5\. Donald's Duck**

Here's another great adaptation. It's nice to see Donald star in a role without his twin getting involved and I don't mind at all if it wasn't adapted alongside an adaptation of _Oliver The Great Western Engine_. I don't think I have much more to say about it and that's why I'm giving it a fair rating of **8.9/10**.

**6\. Thomas Gets Bumped**

As the first episode not to be adapted from the Railway Series or from the Awdry family in general, I felt it was quite weak and some clunky writing to it. I haven't read the original magazine story by Andrew Brenner _Thomas Bumps Off_ but I bet you it's better written then this, compared to Brenner's performance as head writer today. The title was misleading and how can a track buckle in the hot sun? I have no idea but what I do know is that I don't find this a great episode. So it's a **6.5/10** for me.

**7\. Thomas, Percy And The Dragon**

Here's a good episode. Based upon another magazine story _Percy's Night Out_ by Andrew Brenner, I feel that this one was very well written, even if not perfect. It had a nice reference to _Ghost Train/Percy's Ghostly Trick_ and it has a nice moral about being scared. So i'll give it a **9/10**.

**8\. Diesel Does It Again**

Okay. Here's another good episode to be written by Britt Allcroft but how come _Thomas And The Evil Diesel_ wasn't adapted instead of this? It was nice to see Diesel back though and totally in character. I know you guys blame Britt for ruining the show, but you gotta admit that she can handle character development better then HIT did at the start. She just needed a bit of tweaking for her writing for her writing, that's all. I think I'll give this a pretty good rating of **8/10**.

**9\. Henry's Forest**

This was a pretty enjoyable episode. I don't know that all this stuff about Rule 55 but could someone please explain that to me? Anyway, this episode is peaceful and very sad at times. I do like Henry's theme, which we haven't heard since season 1. Overall, it's a **9/10** for me.

**10\. The Trouble With Mud**

And now we come to a good adaptation that seems very out place. If the first season was so based upon the first eight books, why couldn't this be adapted back then? I have no idea for that but it was still a nice watch. The triumphant theme music towards the end of the episode when Gordon was pushing James up the hill was very watch. Overall, it's another good watch and that's why I'm giving an **7.5****/10**.

**11\. No Joke For James**

A lot of fans question why Thomas and Gordon would believe James' lies but bringing The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt up into the mix could be a good reason for them doing so. And like I said before, you guys don't have to put all the blame on Britt Allcroft because, again, she knew more about the characters then HIT did to start with. It's quite an enjoyable watch and that's why it's an **8.3/10** for me.

**12\. Thomas, Percy And The Post Train/Thomas, Percy And The Mail Train**

This is my favorite episode of the series that has not been adapted from the Awdry stories. The music, the sets, the characterization including a rail vs. road rivalry etc. Only one nitpick though and that was how Elsbridge junction looked like the harbor. That' I'll give this a **9.6/10**.

**13\. Trust Thomas**

This was a good episode but if the roads were under repairs, why was Bertie running on them? I don't if I have too much more to say about this episode but it's pretty good and that's why I'm giving it an **7.9/10**.

**14\. Mavis**

Here we're introduced to Mavis, a character who strikes quite a lot of interest among writers today. Now, I like this episode and it is adapted very well. Plus it has a great moral about respecting your elders but for a start, I wish Mavis was more like she was in the years that follow and why was Diesel there instead of Daisy? This episode was also very slow paced but that didn't stop me from liking it. I think I'll give a **6.3****/10**.

**15\. Toby's Tightrope**

This was a slight improvement. While again, it could have gone off better with some faster pacing, it shows how Mavis matures and retains the personality that we see him from her more often in the show. And I know that Percy and Toby are good friends but why did Percy take the quarry manager's place at the beginning of the episode? On the whole, it's a **6.8****/10** for me.

**16\. Edward, Trevor And The Really Useful Party**

According to a deleted scene, Diesel was originally going to appear in this episode but was cut for unknown reasons. This is another pretty good watch, but I don't really know about Bertie's attitude towards Trevor. I think I'll give this an **8****/10**. It still proves that Britt Allcroft still needs a bit of tweaking with how she writes for the series.

**17\. ****Buzz, Buzz/James Goes Buzz, Buzz**

This is a very good adaptation and I love how the bee was animated, but why wasn't it adapted for the second season instead. Plus, one visual error: it's been five years since season 2 has aired. Don't you think that the producers would have enough to create BoCo his very own face mask? Overall, it's an **8.6/10** for me.

**18\. ****All At Sea**

I love the music at the beginning and the episode itself expands upon Percy and Duck's friendship. The sets of the harbor and the regatta are beautiful but there were a few flaws: no brake vans at the end of Percy and Duck's train so it seems that Britt Allcroft started this common visual error that carried on the HIT series, and why would Duck want to be a boat? Seems like Percy has more common sense in that aspect. And I'm sure Britt heard of ambulances before. Maybe an ambulance didn't get there in time to come to the man's aid before Duck did. Overall, I find it very enjoyable and that's why I'm giving it a **9/10**.

**19\. One Good Turn**

It's nice how Britt had written an episode for Bill and Ben. They're great characters and this is a good way to make use of them. It's also how BoCo had learnt from their tricks but there was a little nitpick: why was it said that they are _the most mischievous working on The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt's railway_ when they are privately owned engines. Again, for an episode written by Britt Allcroft, it's not perfect and that's why it's an **9/10** for me.

**20\. Tender Engines**

Meh...not a great adaptation. It could have gone better off followed by _Super Rescue_ and I didn't mind bringing Gordon to the fold as one of the main characters but why were only the Flying Scottman's tenders shown and why didn't it have anything to do with Gordon's brother? And why wasn't the part about Gordon's brother included? It was another enjoyable watch but could have gone off better with stronger adaptation. That's why I'm giving it an **6.8/10**.

**21\. Escape**

Favorite episode of the season, hands down. It was very faithful to the original story and Oliver's another favorite of mine. His theme while being saved from scrap is top notch. You can tell from the modern day that he and Toad have struck plenty of interest among writers. The Scottish Twins are bound to the same. It's a solid **10/10** for me.

**22\. Oliver Owns Up**

Another faithful adaptation with a more suitable title then the original. Once again, I have nothing against the Reverend W. Awdry or what he has written but Oliver seems way too conceited from what the engines have been telling him, don't you think? Overall, I think this one deserves a **9.1****/10**.

**23\. Bulgy**

Here we have, yet, another great adaptation but why wasn't Toad Stands By placed in between? Just another thing where the producers are questionably trying to get this to a 26 episode count. The episode itself is great with good characterization from each character. Overall, it's a **9.5/10** for me.

**24\. Heroes**

This episode is slightly better then _One Good Turn_. It shows the twins actually being really useful and not only their tricky selves. For an episode written by Britt Allcroft, it actually had a pretty good script to it and Bill and Ben's joke to Gordon about the scrapyard always makes me chuckle. It's nice how headcodes are used but in Britt's eyes, are Bill and Ben really naive enough to let the cars/trucks tell them where to put things. They've worked with them for such a long time so they shouldn't be able to trust them. Anyway, I think I'll give this one a **9/10**.

**25\. Percy, James And The Fruitful Day**

This is a pretty good episode and it introduces some sort of friendly rivalry between Percy and James that carries on into season six and then much later on into season seventeen. It still wasn't perfectly written in the hands of Britt Allcroft though. So I'll give this one an **8.5/10**.

**26\. Thomas And Percy's Mountain Adventure/Thomas And Percy's Christmas Adventure**

For the last episode of the season, this one was also great. But the reason why I preferred the British narration is because of how the part about Santa Claus was cut out and rewritten completely as a Thanksgiving episode rather than a Christmas episode. For a finale, it's always an enjoyable watch, even for Christmastime and that's why I'm giving it a **9.4/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, this season was a much lesser achievement than the first two seasons. But it was still pretty enjoyable. Britt's not a bad writer but she was nowhere near up to par with the Awdry family or Andrew Brenner and his writing team. Some adaptations were done perfectly, like _Escape_ for example, but some were written out of place and some were didn't stick close to the original story. Again, I don't see the urgency to have just 26 episodes. There could have been 30 like I suggested in my last two reviews. If I were making this season following my opinion of how the first two seasons should have been done, I would have done it in the following order.

_Percy Takes The Plunge_ could have been adapted as a season pilot and the start of a complete adaptation for _The Eight Famous Engines_. Then I would have had _Donald's Duck,_ the first four episodes written Britt Allcroft and _Domeless Engines/Gordon And The Famous Visitor_ to take place instead of _The Trouble With Mud_. Then I would have kept _No Joke For James_ all the way to _Tender Engines_ just the way it was before being followed by _Super Rescue_. Then I would've had the two Oliver episodes be followed by _Toad Stands By_ before _Bulgy_ comes after. Than maybe a trilogy adaptation of _Toby, Trucks And Trouble_ before the three last episodes of the season.

_Gordon Goes Foreign_ was known to be the first episode not to be adapted for television and it was cancelled because the producers thought it to be too expensive to paint Henry's model into Big City Engine's. Anyway, this season is still very good. I feel that Britt Allcroft a bit too much shtick for her creativity over half the season and as much as she ruined the show, she didn't do it alone. Sharon Miller should have had more common sense, even when she took on the reigns of the series. I prefer Britt over Sharon as a writer any day. Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **8.3****/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. Escape

2\. Thomas, Percy And The Post Train/Thomas, Percy And The Mail Train

3\. Bulgy

4\. Thomas And Percy's Christmas Adventure/Thomas And Percy's Mountain Adventure

5\. Oliver Owns Up

6\. Percy's Promise

7\. Thomas, Percy And The Dragon

8\. Henry's Forest

9\. One Good Turn

10\. Heroes

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Mavis

2\. Thomas Gets Bumped

3\. Tender Engines

4\. Toby's Tightrope

5\. A Scarf For Percy

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	4. Season 4 (1994-1995)

Two years after season 3 had finished airing, season 4 had aired in the autumn of 1994, marking the 10th anniversary of _Thomas The Tank Engine &amp; Friends_ and when it finished airing in 1995, this marked the 50th anniversary of the Railway Series. Was it another great success after 20 years? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Granpuff**

This was pretty good for a start but why bother shoehorning Thomas and the others? There was no point there. Other then that, it was adapted pretty well despite the laziness put in Smudger's model. Stuart and Falcon's models are alright since the characters most likely go on the Peter Sam and Sir Handel. Overall, I think this one deserves an **8/10**.

**2\. Sleeping Beauty**

This was a better episode but still, why bothering shoehorning Thomas and his friends? This adaptation could have just had Duke arrive in the present day with Stuart and Falcon and the story would have nothing to do with the North Western Railway engines at all. Anyway, it's a very good episode and I like the music during Duke's rescue so I'll give this one an **8.4/10**.

**3\. Bulldog**

Here's another good one but it's still has the same adaptation problem with including the North Western Railway engines. Other than that, it showed a great moral on how to respect your elders and a great deal of heroism too. On the whole, it's an **8.6/10** for me.

**4\. You Can't Win**

For once, an episode with Thomas and his friends and therefore, it was the best adaptation yet. I don't if I have much more to say about it, just that it's a very good episode so I'll give this one an **8.8/10**.

**5\. Four Little Engines**

Best episode of the season yet. We are introduced to the narrow gauge engines like Skarloey and Rheneas and it's nice to see how Falcon and Stuart go on to become Sir Handel and Peter Sam. It showed a great deal of heroism and Skarloey faithfulness brought back memories of _Edward's Exploit_. Taken from the events of the next episode, it still could have gone better off as two episodes. It's a great watch and that's why it's a **9.4/10** for me.

**6\. A Bad Day For Sir Handel**

One step up, many steps down. This is very well my least favorite adaptation for the narrow gauge engines. The beginning made no sense at all because it was just the chronology order in which the episode was handled. The episode could have just continued off from where Four Little Engines left off. And once again, I have nothing against the Reverend W. Awdry because he wrote great stories with great characters, but I hate how the character Sir Handel was depicted. Here he's just downright rude and unwilling to work. Think about it: would you rather see him like this or more matured like he was in the HIT series? (don't get me wrong, I hate how he depicted by HIT as one of the oldest engines on Sodor) Other then that, it was a very average adaptation and Sir Handel is my least favorite of the narrow gauge engines. It was an okay watch for me and that's why I'm giving it a **6.3/10**.

**7\. Peter Sam And The Refreshment Lady**

Now this is more like it. My favorite narrow gauge adaptation. I like Peter Sam so much better than Sir Handel because of his personality. One visual nitpick though: why was Henry wearing Gordon's cross face at one point? It was quite funny, but it still was still an errors. Anyway, it's a **9.5/10** for me.

**8\. Trucks!/Rusty Helps Peter Sam**

This one was alright. Quite boring though and I still don't like how Sir Handel hasn't matured. Maybe the consequences he received at the end of the episode would teach him a thing or two. It was nice to meet Rusty and that's why it's a **6.6****/10** for me.

**9\. Home At Last**

This one was quite an improvement. I don't know how it would take the Works longer to mend Rheneas that it would to mend Skarloey and I do like Duncan. His attitude may be a little similar to Sir Handel's but at least he has the urgency to work. Overall, I'm giving this one a **9/10**.

**10\. Rock 'n' Roll**

Here's another very good one. Duncan's still a little out of line and Rusty should have of his passengers before he refused to help Duncan but it was adapted very well. Too bad it wasn't followed by Little Old Twins. On the whole, I think this one deserves a **9/10**.

**11\. Special Funnel**

And so we come to an adaptation of _The Gallant Old Engine_ and it's very good for a start. A little slow paced but I did like Peter Sam's special funnel. Why was Rheneas there? Isn't he supposed to be at the Works? Anyway, it's worth the watch and that's why it's an **8.5/10** for me.

**12\. Steam Roller**

This was an improvement. Again, it stuck closely to the original story and it does seem that Sir Handel has matured, a little bit. I like George's kinda Russian accent for George and it was a funny watch. It was quite enjoyable and that's why I'm giving it an **8.9/10**.

**13\. Passengers And Polish**

Unlike Sir Handel, Duncan hasn't matured very much since the last time we saw him. But this did stick close to the original story and that's enough for me. So I'll give this one an**8.8/10**.

**14\. Gallant Old Engine**

My favorite adaptation from the name of the book itself and it's on par with _Peter Sam And The Refreshment Lady_ as my favorite narrow adaptation. Rheneas' courage, like _Four Little Engines_, bought back memories of _Edward's Exploit_ and the triumphant reused from _Percy's_ Promise. Overall, it's a **9.5/10** for me.

**15\. Rusty To The Rescue**

This episode is notably panned by Thomas fans alike and the Reverend W. Awdry. It's not hard to see why. It's a complete rewrite of Escape and I don't see the point in writing this instead of Bluebells Of England. It's the worst episode ever to be written by Britt Allcroft but it did have its pros. The sets were beautiful and the music was nice, especially of Rusty and Stepney crossing the bridge to the other railway. On the whole, it's an average episode and the worst episode yet. That's why I'm giving it a **5.4/10**.

**16\. Thomas And Stepney**

A small improvement but still an average episode. It didn't stick close enough to the original story and it's the worst adaptation of the series. The characterization of Thomas made him a little too harsh on Stepney and it's a little something that you'd expect more out of Gordon or James. Like the previous episode, it's not all that great and that's why I think it deserves a **5.8/10**.

**17\. Train Stops Play**

Here we go. A great episode that made me smile. Perfectly adapted and quite funny too, especially the characterization from Stepney's driver during the chase. It was nice to see a female character being introduced: Caroline, especially after all the criticism put towards the show for a lack of female characters. Overall, it's a very enjoyable watch and a large improvement over the last two episodes. Also the best episode yet of the season and that's why it's a **9.6/10** for me.

**18\. Bowled Out**

This one was on par with the previous episode. Perfectly adapted and I do like the Class 40 basis of The Diesel. While it does seem that Stepney was only here for the adaptation, he did make another comeback in season 5 with a few none-speaking roles afterwards. It's another **9.6/10** for me.

**19\. Henry And The Elephant**

Wow. Really? They're adapting this now? This is what proves the wrongs with the season. Some episodes are perfectly adapted but some are just out of place, like this episode? Why wasn't it in season 1 before _Tenders And Turntables_? It's the reason why Henry went on strike. And why does Thomas have Edward's whistle sound at the beginning. Despite the adaptation out of place, it was still a good watch and that's why I'm giving it an **7.5/10**.

**20\. Toad Stands By**

Great adaptation, great plot, great character development, but again, in the wrong place. This should have been with season 3 between _Oliver Owns Up_ and _Bulgy_, don't you think? But it was always a favorite for me since childhood and it has a great moral about standing up to bullies. That's why I'm giving it a **9/10**.

**21\. Bulls Eyes**

Unbelievable. Another episode out of place. This episode should have been in season 2 between _Daisy_ and _Percy's Predicament_. I mean, it stuck close to the original story and Daisy did make a nice comeback, but she was only there to finish off the adaptation and nothing more. The events of this episode are referenced in season 2 and it's adapted here. I just don't get it. Enough said, this episode also had a bit of slow pacing but it was still a good watch and that's why I'm giving it an **7.6****/10**.

**22\. Thomas And The Special Letter**

Now here's a good episode. A very good adaptation but why wasn't it adapted along with the rest of the book it was based on? I don't care of Jinty and Pug weren't there. Bringing in engines besides the ones owned by The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt. The music at the end was very peaceful. Overall, it's a **9/10** for me.

**23\. Paint Pots And Queens/Thomas Meets The Queen**

Here we go. Another adaptation out of place. It should have been in season 1 after _Down The Mine_ and I can state many reasons why. The beginning of the episode shows that it continues immediately after the events of _Off The Rails/Gordon Takes A Dip_ and _Down The Mine_. Also, Duck and Donald were present in cameos when they came later on in season 2. If neither of those two were there, this episode would have made more sense. It's chronologically incorrect but still quite enjoyable and nostalgic. That's why I'm giving it an **8/10**.

**24\. Fish**

Favorite episode of the season, hands down. It was very well adapted and the events of _Thomas Goes Fishing_ are referenced. It was nice to see Duck in his last lead role until the seventeenth season. The sets are beautiful and the music at the beginning is nice and peaceful. It bought back memories of _The Flying Kipper_ and that was a great episode. It's a solid **1****0/10** for me.

**25\. Special Attraction**

Hmm...this one was good. A bit of a lesser achievement though and the pacing was very slow. It wasn't adapted very well since it cut out Toby's flashback and it could have gone off better as part of an entire adaptation. The part with Bulstrode was nice though, even if the character was only there for the adaptation. On the whole, I think it deserves a **7****/10**.

**26\. Mind That Bike!**

And so we come to the last episode of the season, the last episode to be narrated by George Carlin and the last episode to be adapted from the Railway Series. It was great with the sets, the music and the plot, even if the adaptation was a little problematic. I like the shots of Bertie at the beginning and it seems that George put in a lot of enthusiasm for his last episode. Too bad it wasn't adapted along with the rest of the book. Overall, I think this deserves a **9.4/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, this season was on par with season 3. The Skarloey Railway adaptations were done perfectly, despite one nitpick from _A Bad Day For Sir Handel_, and it was nice to meet such interesting characters, but towards the end of the season, some adaptations were out of place and two of them didn't stick close to the original story. If you read the review carefully, you'll see which two I am talking about.

Again, I don't see the urgency to have just 26 episodes. If I were making this season, I would have done it in the following order with 30 episodes: I would have started with the adaptation of _Duke The Lost Engine_ just the way it was before having _Four Little Engines_ done separately as _Skarloey Remembers_ and _Old_ _Faithful_, the Sir Handel and Peter Sam episodes in between. Than I would have had _Little Old Twins_ adapted after _Rock n' Roll_ to end off the 1994 run and after the _Gallant Old Engine_ adaptation, I would have had _Bluebells Of England_ and _Stepney's Special_ instead of the two episodes we had. After that, I would have had an adaptation of _James And The Diesel Engines_ to give James his major part in the season before having _Fish_. Then an adaptation of _Thomas And The Twins_ before ending off the season with _Mind That Bike!_

The sets for this season were very beautiful and both narrators. George Carlin did a very good job and it seems that, like Ringo Starr, he left on a high note to continue his comedy career. Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **8.3****/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. Fish

2\. Train Stops Play

3\. Bowled Out

4\. Peter Sam And The Refreshment Lady

5\. Gallant Old Engine

6\. Four Little Engines

7\. Mind That Bike

8\. Home At Last

9\. Rock n' Roll

10\. Thomas And The Special Letter

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Rusty To The Rescue

2\. Thomas And Stepney

3\. A Bad Day For Sir Handel

4\. Trucks!/Rusty Helps Peter Sam

5\. Special Attraction

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	5. Season 5 (1998)

Three years have passed since season 4 had finished airing and during that time, the Reverend W. Awdry tragically passed away in 1997, resulting in the discontinuation of the Railway Series after 40 books for ten years. The tone of the show changed drastically and Britt Allcroft to write an entire series of stories, showcasing a theatrical Thomas movie. In terms of narration, Michael Angelis stayed on board for the UK while Alec Baldwin took over in the US. Was season 5 another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Cranky Bugs**

What a great way to start off a season. Cranky could have had more of a backstory, showing how he ended up at the docks but he is my favorite character to be introduced by Britt Allcroft because he struck loads of interest among writers. However, for Alec Baldwin's first narration, I have to say, I'm not too impressed. The man gives his all but in the end, he could have done better, especially with his voices for Gordon and James. Overall, I think this one deserves an **8.5/10**.

**2\. Horrid Lorry**

Here's another good one. Alec Baldwin does a better job, especially for the lorries but I have the same problem with his voice for Henry as I do for Gordon and James. Other than that, it had some great characterization, especially out of the Horrid Lorries and we begin more of a teasing side out of Cranky after being introduced. I wonder what the lorries' drivers were thinking from causing such accidents. They could have died. Just an example of unrealism from Britt. It's a shame that Butch never got a speaking role as a new character but it's nice to see he has struck interest among writers as well. Overall, I'll give this one a **8.8****/10**.

**3\. A Better View For Gordon**

This one will always remain a season 5 favorite in my heart. The crash was very thrilling and of course based on a real event: the 1895 Gare Montparnesse incident in France. I think this one gets a **9.4/10**.

**4\. Lady Hatt's Birthday Party**

This one was a nice change in story. Instead of focusing on engines, it focused on the human characters. It was also nice to see how Caroline and George were used and the music was pretty catchy. The ending was funny and overall, it's a **9/10** for me.

**5\. James And The Trouble With Trees**

This was kind of a lesser achievement. Slow pacing and how the trees got close to the line was a little unrealistic but it was based off a scene from _The Railway Children_ from the 1950s. Despite it's flaws, it's a **6.5****/10** for me.

**6\. Gordon And The Gremlin**

Phew, what a boring episode. The plot and the title didn't make sense at all either. For a boring storyline, the narration does sound boring too. Nice touch with the animation with the animation of the dog and what a nice introduction to Dowager Hatt. But still, the boredom of this episode. Come on, even HIT gave Gordon better episodes than this. Not a very good watch and that's why I'm giving to a **5.5/10**.

**7\. Bye George!**

Here's a better episode. It's nice to see George in a lead role and the crashes were filmed very well. I got a few chuckles out of this episode too. It's a good watch and that's why I'm giving it an **8.1/10**.

**8\. Baa!**

Worst episode of the season yet. It's not as bad as many animal episodes that HIT has produced but it wasn't a very good watch either. I don't what more to say about it so that's why I think it deserves a **5.4/10**.

**9\. Put Upon Percy**

One step down, several steps up. It really seems like Percy gets good episodes in the classic series and this is a prime example. I like Percy's season 5 theme and the shots including the mines and it's nice to see a more brave side out of Percy instead being cheeky all the time. Overall, I think this a **9.6/10**.

**10\. Toby And The Flood**

It's a bit underrated. Yes, it's unrealistic but we see another brave side out of Percy and the episode itself is very gripping, especially with the rescue scene. That's why I'm giving a **7.3/10** for me.

**11\. Haunted Henry**

This one was alright. A little boring though and Alec Baldwin sounded a little out date, especially with his voice for Henry. It did spook me when I was younger though and the crash was well filmed. Not a great watch but not a bad one either. On the whole, I'm giving it a **6.6/10**.

**12\. Double Teething Troubles**

This was a nice episode but I don't like how Derek was a one-off. He could have become a great character, maybe if his name was even mentioned. It was sad to see BoCo leave but maybe they might eventually bring him back in CGI. There were narrative errors too like how Alec Baldwin voiced Bill and Ben, especially the argument scene.

_Snot!_

_Smine!_

_Smine!_

_Snot!_

Anyway, it's a very enjoyable episode and so I'll give it a **7.9/10**.

**13\. Stepney Gets Lost**

I don't like how Stepney was treated as part of The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt's railway. I mean, it could have been an episode about him coming to visit the railway. Anyway, maybe this episode could have gone off better with Oliver or maybe one of the Scottish twins in the lead role (had they never spoken once in this season) since they're the ones who tremble at the very thought of scrap. Anyway, the scrapyard scene can put you on the edge of your seat and 'Arry and Bert are depicted well as two of your usual troublemaker diesels. So I'm giving this a **7/10**.

**14\. Toby's Discovery**

This episode was kinda boring but it was another spooky watch. Alec, however, sounds bored throughout the entire story, and we come across another one-off: Bertram, which is just Duke's model repainted. Not a great episode but it shows that Toby can get good episodes compared to how HIT has handled him from S9-16. So it's a **5.6/10** for me.

**15\. Something In The Air**

This was a good episode. It was nice to see Henry pulling the Flying Kipper again but Alec's voice for him is still quite off. The crash scene was filmed brilliantly and the water spitting for me was funny. Overall, I think I'll give this an **8.5/10**.

**16\. Thomas, Percy And Old Slow Coach**

Favorite episode of the season by a long shot. It has a great theme on restoration and it's written quite well. It shows a rather dramatic part of the series on Old Slow Coach's part as the music while Thomas and Percy leave the scrapyard make you feel sorry for her. Love the music at the end and I like how James' arrogance gets the better of him. Overall, it's a **9.8/10** for me.

**17\. Thomas And The Rumours**

This was a nice episode with a nice moral about not listening to morals. The crash was filmed brilliantly but it was very slow paced. Not much more said, I'm giving it a **7/10**.

**18\. Oliver's Find**

Slightly better episode. It's nice to see how the character of Oliver is fleshed out but the house could have gone into more detail. So I'll give this one a **7.4/10**.

**19\. Happy Ever After**

Another season 5 favorite for me. Old Slow Coach made a nice comeback, even if she didn't appear afterwards. I love Percy's theme in this episode and the kiss was very funny, even if there was no explanation to what happened to his fire. So this one's a **9.5/10** for me.

**20\. Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday**

Nice episode and I like how it focuses more on the human characters then on the engines. I didn't like Lady Hatt's attitude towards Annie and Clarabel though. Enough said, I'm giving this one an **8.1/10**.

**21\. A Big Surprise For Percy**

Kind of a boring episode and not too well written either. It was a little slow paced but I do like how it picks from the chase scene. It's not that great of watch and that's why I'm giving it a **6.3/10**.

**22\. Make Someone Happy**

Better episode. The moral about making others happy suited James well as the lead character but Alec Baldwin hasn't really improved on his vocals for the character. The music to the crate opening was very catchy and so was the music at the end. On the whole, it's an **7.7/10** for me.

**23\. Busy Going Backwards**

This was an exciting episode, no matter how unrealistic it was. The pacing was great, the _William Tell Overture_ was very catchy and the crash was brilliantly filmed. It had a nice moral of being careful of what you wish for and that's why I'm giving this episode an **8.2/10**.

**24\. Duncan Gets Spooked**

And so we come to the narrow gauge episode. This one was okay but Alec's voice for Duncan, like a lot of his voices, is off and it's a shame to see how Duncan hasn't really matured since season 4. Overall, it's a **6.5/10** for me.

**25\. Snow**

The worst episode of the classic series by far and it's the worst episode I've seen until season 9. It was so boring and lazily written and the title made it sound more like a boring episode indeed. The characterization was lazily done, especially from Rusty and it seems like Thomas was the only character with common sense. He's right, there's nothing funny about an avalanche. People die in avalanches, duh! Sorry, Britt, but you can write much better then this. This episode gets a very low rating of **3/10**.

**26\. Rusty And The Boulder**

For the last episode under Britt Allcroft's belt, it's a little underrated. Yes, it's unrealistic and Thumper's just another pointless one-off. I don't get how the workmen at the quarry would work so close to a boulder and many scenes, especially the explosion at the end, are unsuitable for kids. But it was quite exhilarating and it's a **6.5/10** for me.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, I find this season somewhere in between overrated and underrated. Yes, it had some unrealism and several one-off characters that were just there for merchandising. That's what Britt Allcroft started, not HIT. But the stories themselves are dark and dramatic enough to bring back childhood memories despite the fact that this shows how Britt thought she could do it all herself. She should have hired a writing team if she wanted something original.

Michael Angelis does a good job like always, but Alec Baldwin, for a start, is not all that bad but he could have done much better with more enthusiasm, especially towards the voices of Gordon, James, Henry, Bill, Ben and Duncan. I like his Cockney accent for Stepney though.

The sets for this season were, as always, well put together and the music seems alright. Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **7.5/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. Thomas, Percy, And Old Slow Coach

2\. Put Upon Percy

3\. Happy Ever After

4\. A Better View For Gordon

5\. Lady's Hatt Birthday Party

6\. Horrid Lorry

7\. Cranky Bugs

8\. Something In The Air

9\. Busy Going Backwards

10\. Bye, George!

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Snow

2\. Baa!

3\. Gordon And The Gremlin

4\. Toby's Discovery

5\. A Big Surprise For Percy

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	6. Thomas And The Magic Railroad (2000)

2 years have passed since the airing of season 5 and this marked the 55th anniversary of the Railway Series. In February 2000, HIT Entertainment first set eyes on Thomas during the film's post production. In the summer of 2000, Thomas made his way onto the big screen for the first time and Britt Allcroft made her debut as a movie direction. Was it another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Plot**

The plot for the movie was average, not only because it focused more on the human characters than it did on the engines, but because of how it was edited. Plus, the Americanism that was placed towards the plot including Shining Time Station. P.T. Boomer was cut out for being deemed too frightening for younger audiences. My disapproval of that is what I will discuss later. I'll give the plot **4/10** because of how much the editing affected it.

**2\. Character Development**

Again, Britt Allcroft knows how to handle the engines well but several new characters are just one-offs. For example, Lady, who only makes one comeback and Splatter and Dodge but I don't blame this one because their models never made it back from Canada after filming. Plus P.T. Boomer was cut out of the movie, therefore taking off points for the characterization. I'll give a **6/10** for this area of the movie.

**3\. Voices/Acting**

The acting was okay but Peter Fonda seemed very depressed. I quite liked the performances of Mara Wilson and Michael E. Rodgers though. As for the voice acting, well, it seems that Britt Allcroft made a big mistake by pre-viewing this movie at an American audience. John Bellis was cut from the film as the voice of Thomas and replaced by Edward Glen; Michael Angelis was cut as the voice of Percy and James and replaced by Linda Ballantyne and Susan Roman respectively; all because they were depicted as _sounding too old_. What utter bullsh*t! I like Angelis' voices, especially for James and I've heard John's voice for Thomas in the teaser trailer, it sounded brilliant and kinda better then how Edward Glen did it to be honest. As for Percy and James, they could've easily found a child actor to voice Percy but James, oh my god, Susan's voice didn't fit him at all! I don't get why Patrick Breen was replaced by Neil Crone and Kevin Frank for the voices of Splatter and Dodge but I do like Diesel 10's voice in the final cut. It's very enthusiastic and my favorite voiceover work throughout the movie. I've also heard Keith Scott do it and that sounded alright. The rest of the voice cast did a good job. Despite the flaws, this category gets a **6/10**.

**4\. Visuals**

The visuals for this movie were nice. The special effects were kinda cheap though. As for the sets of Sodor, they look kinda mashed together, don't you think? But they're alright and I do like the new paintwork on the models. A shame Edward never made it into the movie. Overall, I think this category deserves an **8/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

I liked Hummie Mann's score, especially tracks like _Lily Travels To Sodor_ and _Through The Magic Buffers_ and even _The Chase_ music. I also liked the songs. My favorite one was _Really Useful Engine_. I felt that _Some Things Never Leave_ _You_ was a little slow paced though. It's a **9/10** for this category.

**6\. Length**

This movie was not in the least boring. It had some pretty good pacing to it but still, the edits. I'm giving this category an **8/10**.

**7\. Writing**

The script was probably the worst thing about the movie. It was lazily rewritten and I don't know if I have much more to say about it but when I see the movie, I wish to myself that Britt Allcroft had hired writers to create a script for it. Maybe it would have put more depth in the characters based off the TV series. This category gets a **3/10**.

**8\. Direction**

The direction would have gone much better off if actors were hired to be the drivers for the engines and maybe if Britt herself didn't take advice from soccer moms. I really would have rather had David Mitton direct this. I'm giving this category a **4/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, this movie is very underrated. But stated from above, I have my problems with it too. It just shows how Britt Allcroft thought she could do it all herself. The teaser trailer got me really excited for it but I didn't like how the final product turned out. Britt should've just kept it the way it was. Too scary? Come on. I've seen Disney films in my childhood years that have more intimidating villains then P.T. Boomer would have turned out to be. On the whole, it's not a great film but it does have it's advantages. If it weren't for this film, I don't think any future movies would have been made. Overall, I think this movie gets an accurate rating of **6/10**.

WHAT'S YOUR RATING?


	7. Season 6 (2002)

Following the critical failure and box office flop of _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_ in 2000, Britt Allcroft stepped down from her position in the _Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends_industry, changing the company to _Gullane Entertainment_. This changed a few things for Thomas as the tone of the series as it focused on moralistic values instead of dangerous situations like the previous stories. In terms of narration, Michael Angelis stayed on board for the UK while Alec Baldwin continued in the US. Was season 6 another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Salty's Secret**

For the first episode in the hands of an individual writer and the first one without the direction of Britt Allcroft, it started off the season with a bang. Salty's a great character, even if he lacks a backstory. He's my favorite character to be introduced in this series because he has struck interest among writers today. Michael Angelis, despite being cut from the _Magic Railroad_ movie, has not lost touch but improved with enthusiasm. Alec Baldwin has also outdone himself as a narrator. One little writing nitpick though: why wouldn't Bill and Ben need help from a diesel when Mavis works with them? Other than that, it's nice to see how much Mavis has matured since her debut but I still miss BoCo :(. Overall, I think I'm giving this a **9/10**.

**2\. Harvey To The Rescue**

Second episode in the season and we meet yet another interesting character. Harvey's a great character and his design and basis is top notch. However, there's one thing I don't like about this episode aside from a crash that wouldn't seem realistic and you guys would have all guessed what problem I am talking about by now: some of the characterization. Why would Edward, all of engines, criticize Harvey for being different? He's supposed to be one of the kinder engines and he would have gone off much better in Thomas' place for this episode since Thomas found Harvey strange to start with. But haven't you guys noticed that Percy is also a bit out of character? Please tell me if I'm right or wrong but he's also one of the more hospitable engines who is very welcoming to new arrivals. If I were to write this episode, lol, even if I was still 7 years old back then, I would've had Edward help Harvey learn how different can be good while the big engines tease Harvey and Thomas and Percy would have mixed feelings about what to think. But again, Edward's lack of character development was just a little nitpick and who knows, he might have been joking about it and Percy too. It's not bad as how HIT handled Edward in seasons 9-10 and especially season 13. Overall, this episode is a **7.5/10** for me.

**3\. No Sleep For Cranky**

This one was an improvement. It's nice to see Cranky back in action since his debut in season 5, and Salty and Harvey, as new characters make their contribution to the plot as well. Of course, the errors are there too. How could Cranky work 24 hours a day? How could Salty and the twins be awake all night listening to Salty's stories. Other than that, it was a funny watch with humor that you'd see out of an Andrew Brenner episode and the music was funny as well, even as it led up to the crash. Overall, I think give this one an **8.1/10**.

**4\. A Bad Day For Harold The Helicopter/A Bad Day For Harold**

Another good watch which has a rail vs. road rivalry that you barely in the HIT series. Again, a bit of unrealism like the net not being caught in the tree and it's unknown whether or not Harold's crew survived the crash. The music with Harold flying back up in the air during the signal being fixed was top notch and I liked the music leading up to the crash, something that you hear quite often in the series. The ending with Percy and Harold was very touching in terms of friendship and that's why I'm giving this episode a **9/10**.

**5\. Elizabeth The Vintage Lorry/Elizabeth The Vintage Quarry Truck**

And so we are introduced to another new character in the series: Elizabeth and yet she has some potential for the future, which means maybe she could eventually return in CGI. Alec Baldwin's voice for her was quite well that from the shed, I thought she was Caroline at first. However, Elizabeth is just a major character that might be a bad influence on young female audiences. However, her interaction with The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt was funny and I do like her theme music. Overall, it's a great watch and that's why I give it an **8.5/10**

**6\. The Fogman**

Best episode of the season, hands down; and probably the best of episode that we have had in recent years. Both Michael Angelis and Alec Baldwin are very enthusiastic about the job and no wonder, this episode has a good script. Story wise, it's railway smart and instead of focusing on crashes and rescues like season 5 did, kids learn a lot about fog detonators. It's an episode written to perfection and that's something we rarely see for the next nine or ten season or so. That's why I'm giving this episode a solid **10/10**.

**7\. Jack Jumps In**

Another great episode. We meet a bunch of new characters known as "The Pack" who were created for a potential spin-off, not released until four years later. I feel that Jack could have had a bit more common sense and I felt sorry for him in the end but of course, he's new and that's why his character is great to teach kids about the moral "Safety First." I think I'll give this episode a **9.3/10**.

**8\. A Friend In Need**

Unbelievable. Another great episode? No way. Jack finally abides by the rules of the quarry and has learnt from his experiences in the last episode. His courage is rescuing Thomas is great, even if it's a little unrealistic for someone as small as Jack to take the weight of both the bridge and Thomas at the same time. It's a **9.5/10** for me.

**9\. It's Only Snow**

I love this episode. It might be the start of the infamous "winter holiday" term and a little unrealistic for Thomas to carry on through the snow without a plough but the music was beautiful and the narration was top notch. It's my favorite Christmas episode for years to come and that's why I'm giving a **9.4/10**.

**10\. Twin Trouble**

Donald and Douglas speak for the first time since season 4 and are seen together in a major role for the first time since their debut since season 2. This is a nice way to welcome them back but I prefer Michael's narration rather than Alec's, who doesn't even give them a Scottish accent :(. It's not really in the twins' nature to argue and the crash was a kind of unrealistic. While this episode would have gone off with Bill and Ben in the lead, at least both pair of twins got a lead role this season. On the whole, it's a **7.5****/10** for me.

**11\. The World's Strongest Engine**

After a three season absence, save for a cameo in season 4, Diesel returns and instead of spreading rumors like the true nature of his character, he returns the same common troublemaker. Diesel trying to pull the trucks bought back memories of _Pop Goes The Diesel_ and the crash with Diesel shouting was very funny. It's a fun watch and that's why I'm giving it an **8****/10**.

**12\. Scaredy Engines**

While it's nice to see the plot expand upon Thomas and Percy's friendship, I think James would have probably gone off better in Thomas' place but two episodes this season focusing on Percy and James is enough for me. For the first episode to be centered around Halloween, it was quite spooky for the target audience and it was nice to also see Duck in action despite his absence for so many years. I think I'll give this episode a **7/10**. Not bad but could have been better.

**13\. Percy And The Haunted Mine**

Bit of a boring watch and Bill and Ben would have probably gone off better in Donald and Douglas' place and I'm not sure if buildings could sink like that. Was not that great of a watch but it was still good and that's why it's a **6.3****/10** for me.

**14\. Middle Engine**

The music at the beginning was catchy and it's nice to see 'Arry and Bert play a lead role. It's a nice episode to center around Percy and James but quite unrealistic for Percy being bought up on the tipper's loading ramp. Alec's voice for the yard manager was quite funny and it's a pretty good watch for me. That's why I'm giving this episode an **8****/10**.

**15\. James And The Red Balloon**

Pretty nice watch but why would Thomas believe James about the balloon taking their passengers away. Surely we would've still had a story without that. The plot was great and the music was beautiful and quite relaxing. On the whole, I think this episode deserves a **8.8/10**.

**16\. Jack Frost**

I liked the music at the beginning and both Percy and James are in character. But how would the icicles stick to Percy like that? A bit of visual unrealism there. But it's always a good watch, even around winter time and that's why it's an **8.6/10** for me.

**17\. Gordon Takes A Tumble**

Boy, this episode was exhilarating. The narration was pretty well done and it seems that Alec Baldwin has improved on his voice for Gordon. It makes him sound more normal. The music was great and the crash was brilliantly filmed. Few things though: how could it take an engine all night to deliver trucks and how did The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt find out about Gordon trying to show Salty how to pull trucks/freight cars. Other then that, great moral on nobody being perfect and it was nice to see Salty back in a lead role. Overall, I think I'll give this episode a **8.8****/10**.

**18\. Percy's Chocolate Crunch**

Great plot, great characterization, great music, good narration and that's what makes a great episode. I liked the music at the beginning and it really seems that Percy is very accident prone. The crash was a little unrealistic and the episode did have a bit of a three strikes formula but it wasn't very visible. It's a **9/10** for me. Definitely a season 6 favorite and it always will be.

**19\. Buffer Bother**

Great plot and I like Alec's voice for Bill and Ben much better then the previous season. I feel like Bill was a bit out of line with the way he acted but the crash did seem similar to Twin Trouble and it was well filmed. I liked the music at the beginning and I also liked the shiny new buffers that Ben had gotten. It's too bad that the twins never maintained these buffers onwards. I'm giving this episode an **8.9****/10**.

**20\. Toby Had A Little Lamb**

My second favorite episode of the season behind The Fogman. While a little slow paced and Toby was a little out of character before crossing the bridge, he had the courage that he lacked from S9-16, didn't he? The music at the end was beautiful and the episode itself was heartwarming. That's why I'm giving it a **9.8/10**._  
_

**21\. Thomas, Percy And The Squeak**

I loved the music at the beginning and it's a nice introduction to Alicia Botti. The filming of her scream and the windows breaking with Thomas' eyes rolling was well done and I did find it funny how Gordon said _definitely a_ _coloratura_. Thomas was a little harsh towards Percy but it just shows how their friendship can strain at times. The question to how the mouse got into Clarabel will always be a mystery to me but I guess that mice are smart animals. Too bad we didn't see the mouse after this episode since she did live in Tidmouth Sheds from the moment on. It's an **8/10** for me.

**22\. Thomas The Jet Engine/Thomas And The Jet Engine**

Man, this episode was unrealistic but very exciting at the same time and that's what makes it a favorite for me. Everyone's in character and the music, especially the _William Tell Oveture_ was fantastic. But how could Cranky's hook just turn on the jet engine like that? I'll never know. It's always a fun watch for me and that's why I think it deserves a **9/10**.

**23\. Edward The Very Useful Engine/Edward The Really Useful Engine**

Hasn't this been done before in the first two seasons? I thought the big engines would have learnt their lesson about Edward by now. But Edward being a back engine did bring back memories of _Edward And Gordon/Edward Helps Out_ back in season 1 and his theme music made a nice comeback. I think I'll give this episode a **9.1/10**. It was that good.

**24\. Dunkin' Duncan**

Like season 5, why did they save the Skarloey Railway episodes for last? No idea but no big deal either. It's a shame to see Duncan still hasn't matured since his debut and I don't see the point in taking only four trucks up the incline. A visual error was how the workmen didn't notice Duncan being pulled the incline but the accident was brilliantly filmed. On the whole, I'm giving this episode a **7.2/10**.

**25\. Rusty Saves The Day**

Meh, not a great episode but not that bad either. Very slow paced and there's no reason to why The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt would want to close down the line. It was nice to see Elizabeth get another major role but the title was kind of misleading. Maybe it's because Rusty came up with the idea of restoring Rheneas and Skarloey's line. It's a **5.9/10** for me. Could've been much better.

**26\. Faulty Whistles**

Brilliant episode; brilliant way to end off a season. Alec Baldwin gave his all for his last episode and the episode was based closely off _Mike's Whistle_ from the Railway Series. It has a moral about trains not being safe going off without whistles and the music, especially the _She'll Be Coming Around The Mountain When She Comes_ was top notch. It's a **9.8/10** for me.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, it's a brilliant season and an improvement from what we have seen out of Britt Allcroft. It's the best season that I have seen since the 1980s and like the first two seasons, the stories were simple and the morals were understandable for kids. It was my favorite season of the post-Awdry era at it's point of release but trust me, Andrew Brenner and his team can write better than this.

Michael Angelis has outdone himself with the narration, and Alec Baldwin had also improved vastly. He sounds much more enthusiastic, bar a few episodes I will not name, and both narrators breathe fresh new life into the series. The music was great and we were introduced to some interesting new characters who struck interest among writers in the modern day.

The sets for this season were good and the model work seems quite underrated. While I do miss the glossy paintwork from the first five seasons, the new paint on the engines work out of just as fine. Just visual nitpicks here and there with how the engines put on their breaks and the crashes could've been done better. Not too well done at the visualizing front but pretty good at the storytelling front. Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **8.5****/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. The Fogman

2\. Toby Had A Little Lamb

3\. Faulty Whistles

4\. A Friend In Need

5\. It's Only Snow

6\. Jack Jumps In

7\. Edward The Very Useful Engine/Edward The Really Useful Engine

8\. Salty's Secret

9\. A Bad Day For Harold The Helicopter

10\. Percy's Chocolate Crunch

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Rusty Saves The Day

2\. Percy And The Haunted Mine

3\. Scaredy Engines

4\. Dunkin' Duncan

5\. Harvey To The Rescue

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	8. Season 7 (2003)

(Since these episodes aired visually out of order in terms of new characters when they originally premiered on television, I am reviewing them in an order that I think is acceptable)

Following a year after the sixth season, the seventh season of _Thomas The Tank Engine &amp; Friends_ premiered in the autumn of 2003 and the brand name was changed to _Thomas &amp; Friends_. This would changed and started several things for the show, but I'll get to that later. In terms of narration, Michael Angelis stayed on board for the UK and narrated the first four US narrations for the _New Friends For Thomas_ DVD while Alec Baldwin was replaced by Michael Brandon in the US. Was season 7 another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Emily's New Coaches**

What a nice way to start off a season. We become introduced to our first female steam engine on the show: Emily and she is my favorite engine to be introduced this season. The reason for this was her popularity to make her one of the main character in the HIT series. Her personality is fantastic and she can, therefore, be a great role model for younger female audiences. The music is beautiful and so is Emily's theme song. However, there were a few nitpicks in terms of character development: why would Edward and Percy be the two engines to ignore Emily. They're supposed to be the kinder engines. Other then that, it's very enjoyable and that's why I think it deserves a **9/10**.

**2\. Percy Gets It Right**

This was also a good episode and Gordon has a good reason for not listening to Percy since he was tricked by him back in season 2. I feel that The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt could have been more common sense to listen to Percy. Other then that, it's quite enjoyable and that's why I'm giving it an **8.1/10**.

**3\. ****The Spotless Record**

We become introduced to yet another new character Arthur. And his theme music is great and this was pretty well written as well. Arthur's a character that has a lot of potential for the future and might be second in line after the Scottish twins for a CGI return. The crash was filmed brilliantly and so I think this episode deserves a **9/10**.

**4\. Bill, Ben And Fergus**

This one was also pretty nice. However, Fergus is my least favorite character introduced in this season. Of course it's not the writers' fault since his model was damaged during filming and why didn't Bill and Ben maintain their shiny new buffers from the sixth season? The music was beautiful, especially themes from Bill and Ben and Mavis. Too bad the US version was bought by the new series music :(. On the whole, I think this episode deserves an **8.3/10**.

**5\. The Old Bridge/The Old Iron Bridge**

This episode was alright. Quite underrated but could have gone off much better in terms of character development. Skarloey is wiser then to be scared to cross an old bridge and could have gone off much better telling an engine like Peter Sam or Sir Handel (if he was to appear in this season) to be brave enough to cross it. But Skarloey's personality is not as bad as compared to S9-12 and he has plenty of courage in the end. The music in the UK narration at the end was peaceful but I don't like Michael Brandon's voices for Skarloey and Rheneas. He makes Skarloey sound like a clown and Rheneas sound like he has a cold. Despite the flaws, it was still decent and that's why I'm giving it a **6.9/10**.

**6\. Edward's Brass Band**

A small improvement but not by not that much. HIT doesn't give Edward the best episodes, do they? The episode was a little boring and had a lack of action throughout. And wouldn't Bertie and his driver know better than to try to drive through the mud? Other than that, it was a surprise to see Edward in his first accident but we could have gotten a heads-up on what happened to Bertie. Michael Brandon does need to work on his vocals as well. Aside from the flaws, it's another decent watch and that's why it's a **7.3/10** for me.

**7\. What's The Matter With Henry?**

Much better episode. While it could've been explained how what Henry's problem was, it was nice to see Emily in her true personality instead of her season 8 personality. But Thomas and Percy, despite being in their cheeky personalities, were a little too neglectful on Henry and could have known better then to leave all the trucks for him. On the whole, it's an **8.4/10** for me.

**8\. James And The Queen Of Sodor**

Great episode. People think that James could have been more matured and while he hasn't, I feel that he was perfectly in character and I think that this is one of Hartshorne's better tunes for the series. Michael Brandon sounds a bit more enthusiastic as well and the episode itself always gives a few chuckles, especially from Percy's part. Although, how could he have blown mud over Gordon when he was at the quarry? That I'll never get. Other than that, it was a fun watch and will be a season 7 favorite for me. That's why I'm giving it a **9.3/10**.

**9\. The Refreshment Lady's Tea Shop/The Refreshment Lady's Stand**

Here's a good episode. With Peter Sam in the lead role, it bought back memories of _Peter Sam And The Refreshment Lady_ back in season 4. The refreshment stand at the end and I don't think I have too much more to say about this episode. On the whole, I think it deserves an **8/10**.

**10\. Toby's Windmill/Toby And The Windmill**

Mmm...this one was pretty good. Pacing could have been better and it's one of the better episodes that HIT has given Toby. Not much more to say about, it's an **7.9/10** for me.

**11\. Bad Day At Castle Loch**

Meh...a bit of a step down. Not too well written and it could've been spookier. It's nice to see opposing personalities between the twins: one believes that there is a monster while the others believe that there isn't. Like I said in season 6 though, it's not in their nature to argue. For the last time in four years, Michael Angelis does a pretty good job with his voices for the twins. Michael Brandon, however, tries his hardest but overall needs major improvement on his Scottish accent. Seriously. I think I'll give this one a **7/10**.

**12\. Rheneas And The Roller Coaster**

Wow, what a step down! Considered to be the worst episode of the season, it's not hard to see why at all. It just shows how little HIT Entertainment knew about the personality of the narrow gauge engines, Rheneas and Skarloey in particular. Again, Michael Brandon, no offense to the man, does not do a good job for his Rheneas voice and the personality is messed up too. At least we saw some good characterization out of Rusty. It's not all that great of a watch but it was bearable as compared how the Skarloey railway engines are handled from S9-12, don't you think? Overall, it's a **4.9****/10** for me. Rather disappointing.

**13\. Salty's Stormy Tale**

This was a large improvement. It was nice to see Fergus get a return but you do feel sorry for Salty at the beginning. While Thomas and Percy was just messing around with Salty and did not mean him any harm, they could have told him that in the first place. Emily's true personality is still there as well and the original music in the US narration suited the way Michael Brandon did the episode. Overall, this episode gets a pretty good rating of **9/10**.

**14\. Snow Engine/Oliver The Snow Engine**

Another disappointment and almost on par with _Rheneas And The Roller Coaster_. This episode was boring but I don't what to say about the plot and the script. It just wasn't my cup of tea. It was sad to see Oliver and Toad go after this but nice to see them again in season 12 and season 18. In terms of music, of course Hartshorne's tunes in the US version don't suit the episode, but in the UK, the Snow Song theme was done well, but why did Gordon's theme play at one point? Overall, this episode gets a **5.5/10**.

**15.**** Gordon And Spencer**

Best of the season, hands down. It gives Gordon a much better role in the spotlight and we meet a relative of his: Spencer, my second favorite character introduced in the season since he has struck interest from writers from the beginning of the CGI series. His theme is also great and Michael Brandon does not do a bad job for this episode either. He has a good voice for Spencer. This will always be my favorite episode of season 7 and I'm giving a **9.8/10**.

**16.**** Peace And Quiet**

Great episode, great music and great introduction to a great character. Murdoch is another character who will most likely return to series in CGI but his personality is a bit off. As much as he likes his peace and quiet, he could have gone a bit easier on Salty and Harvey who were only trying to welcome him with open arms. Overall, it's a **9.1/10** for me.

**17\. ****Something Fishy**

Great episode here. It's nice to expand upon the character Arthur but doesn't Thomas have his own branch line to run? Seriously. That just shows another example about HIT's lack of knowledge about the show. And why were Murdoch and Spencer there? They hadn't been introduced and it's a shame to see that Murdoch was there visually while my excuse could have been that he was on trial. No idea about Spencer though. This is why I aired the episodes in a more proper order. Ah well, aside from that, this episodes get a **8.6/10**.

**18\. ****The Runaway Elephant**

Meh...this one was alright but a little unrealistic and the elephant park was a pointless location. It wasn't even there in later seasons. Duncan still hasn't matured since his experience at the slate quarry. Plus, the character development of Duncan's driver just shows stupid HIT was back then before Andrew Brenner came along and don't get me started on Michael Brandon's narration. At least there was going to be a break van added to the train. Duncan and his driver were just too stupid to wait for it. I've discussed his Scottish accent earlier in the review and, no, he doesn't really do much better for Duncan. Other than that, the runaway scene was filmed brilliantly, despite the unrealism of Duncan rolled downhill, and that's why I'm going to give this episode a **5.9/10**.

**19\. ****Fergus Breaks The Rules/Thomas And The Search For Fergus**

This was a good episode but it was sad that Fergus disappeared after this episode. Of course this happened for the right reason: his model was broken. 'Arry and Bert's part was played well, despite it being their only appearance in the season. Diesel was well in character and Michael Brandon does a good job on his voice. Overall, this episode gets a **7/10**.

**20\. ****Bulgy Rides Again**

It was nice to see Bulgy back, even if his character was only used in cameos afterwards. For one of the only very few episodes of the season to feature the original music in the US, it fits Michael Brandon's narration better than the new series music does. Not much to say about this episode, it was quite enjoyable and that's why I'm giving it a **9/10**.

**21\. ****Harold And The Flying Horse**

Another good episode. Again, the original music in the US narration suits Michael Brandon's voice perfectly. Percy was quite dumbed down at one scene though. I don't know if there's much more to say about this episode. That's why I think it deserves an **7.9/10**.

**22\. ****The Grand Opening**

This was a better episode focusing on the Skarloey Railway. The theme music was beautiful and it was nice to see the red balloon again. The exchanges between The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt and Lady Hatt were funny and Skarloey was in character compared to his last episode in the spotlight. Overall, it's an **8/10** for me.

**23\. Best Dressed Engine**

Meh...not a great episode. Decent, but not great. I didn't Gordon's theme duration as much as I did before and again, Brandon's narration needs serious improvement. The character development was good though, even with Murdoch bought into the mix. HIT has definitely given Gordon better episodes in the spotlight than this, like the next episode for example, and so I give this episode a **6.5/10**. Not bad but could've been better.

**24\. Not So Hasty Puddings/Not So Hasty Cakes/Thomas And The Avalanche**

Hmm...this one was alright...for a Christmas episode. It introduces another one-off location, the Pudding Factory and I do feel that Thomas and Elizabeth could have gotten along well by now. It was to see Terrence in his last appearance until _The Great Discovery_, even if he didn't speak. On the whole, it's not that great but overall decent and that's why I'm giving it a **7.1/10**.

**25\. Trusty Rusty**

Meh...a bit of a rewrite of _The Old Bridge_ and again, the character development out of Duncan and his driver. Duncan is still not very matured and his driver should know better than to remove the sign and take him across the bridge. Other than that, Rusty's rescuing of Duncan keeps you on the edge of your seat and finally, at the end and from the HIT series onward, it seems that Duncan begins to show Rusty his full respect. On the whole, it's still a fun watch and so it's a **6.1/10** for me.

**26\. Three Cheers For Thomas/Hooray For Thomas**

For the last episode under the involvement of David Mitton, Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell, it was pretty good. The Let's Have A Race theme was done to perfection. Too bad it wasn't featured in the US version. It also brings back memories of _Thomas And Bertie/Thomas And Bertie's Great Race_ and for the last episode in the classic series, I'm giving this one an **8.5/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, this season started and ended many things for Thomas. As HIT Entertainment bought rights to the series, it started to show their whiff of knowledge on _Thomas &amp; Friends_ and it was the last season of the classic series. However, David Mitton, Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell all left on a high note. However, while the simple moralistic value was continued from season six, the writers could have done a much better job on the stories, especially _Snow Engine/Oliver The Snow Engine_ and even _Rheneas And The Roller Coaster_. But this season did have some well written episodes, especially with the new characters, like _Gordon And Spencer_ for example.

Michael Angelis has outdone himself with the narration once, but Michael Brandon, for a start, could have done much better, especially with his voices for the narrow gauge engines and the Scottish twins. The music was great, too bad the US narrations were bought down by the new series tunes and we were introduced to some interesting new characters, two of them who struck interest among writers in the modern day and two of them who have potential for returning in CGI. Not sure about Fergus though. Anyway, I think Michael Brandon should have only been billed for Season 8 onwards and maybe Alec Baldwin could have instead done one more season. Or maybe Michael Angelis could've been a guest narrator for the whole season in the US. That way, we might've had the original tunes after all.

The sets for this season were good and the model work seems the same. I love the model work on the new characters but some sets seem quite pointless as one-offs, like Elephant Park and the Pudding Factory for example. Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **7.****8****/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. Gordon And Spencer

2\. James And The Queen Of Sodor

3\. Peace And Quiet

4\. Emily's New Coaches

5\. The Spotless Record

6\. Salty's Stormy Tale

7\. Bulgy Rides Again

8\. Something Fishy

9\. Three Cheers For Thomas/Hooray For Thomas

10\. Bill, Ben And Fergus

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Rheneas And The Dinosaur

2\. Snow Engine/Oliver The Snow Engine

3\. The Runaway Elephant

4\. Trusty Rusty

5\. Best Dressed Engine

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	9. Season 8 (2004)

Following a year after the seventh season, the eighth season of _Thomas The Tank Engine &amp; Friends_ premiered in the autumn of 2004. This marked the 20th anniversary of the show but things have changed from the end of the classic era. Steve Asquith replaced David Mitton as the director of the show and Robert Hartshorne replaced Mike O'Donnell as a composer for the episodes. Replacing Junior Campbell for songwriting was Ed Welch. In terms of narration, Michael Angelis stayed on board for the UK and while Michael Brandon continued in the US. Even after 10 years, was season 8 another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Thomas And The Tuba**

Hmm…for a start of the new series era, it was alright but could have gone off better with a bit faster pacing. The narration is okay, even if Michael Angelis is becoming to sound a little bit bored, and I like how they use road vehicles on a more regular basis. The tuba player was funny and looked a lot like The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt but the title was a bit misleading. I would have called it Thomas And The Tuba Player. What do you guys think of that? Anyway, it's a **5.8/10** for me.

**2\. Percy's New Whistle**

A good improvement. Everybody was in character by Percy should have thought more about his actions and definitely should have known better than to whistle so loud to cause accidents for his friends. Overall, I'll give this a **7.3/10**.

**3\. Thomas To The Rescue**

Another good step up. Again, everybody's in character, especially Thomas and Diesel and this was the first episode I've seen with Michael Brandon narrating since I'm a US fan and started watching season 8 DVDs with _Steamies VS Diesels_. I found Michael Brandon to be at a bit of a slow start but I do like his voice for Diesel and how he carried on to season 13-16. The episode had good writing to it, despite the _steamie_ term which I would've kept as _steam engines_. Despite its flaws, I'm giving this episode a **7.4/10**.

**4\. Henry And The Wishing Tree**

Ugh…what a step down this is. HIT doesn't seem to give Henry very good episodes in the spotlight, do they? Please, tell me if I'm right or wrong about that. It was boring and not very well written, but I do like the character development of The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt at the end and it's also nice how the realism in this season meant that Gordon would stay at the repair yard for more than a day. Overall, it's a very average watch and my least favorite episode of the season by far. I know you guys would agree with on that and so I give this episode a **5.1/10**. It was still bearable as compared to S9-16.

**5\. James Gets A New Coat**

Here we go. A good episode that is my favorite of the season so far. James is totally in character and Thomas reminding him to be at work is good characterization. I would've rather had it out of Emily taken from how she is handled later on in the season. James is one of those engines who gets good episodes in the HIT series, isn't he? A very good watch and that's why I give it an **8.5/10**.

**6\. Thomas Saves The Day**

Another great step up. I really liked this one. Thomas is actually communicating with Annie and Clarabel which is something you rarely see until season 17. Kellsthorpe Station is a great location, especially since it was named after Kellsthorpe Road from the Railway Series. On the whole, it's an **8.9/10** for me.

**7\. Percy's Big Mistake**

Hmm…this one was okay. A little underrated in my opinion. Percy gets okay episodes in the HIT series but his personality in this episode is a little off. Why would he think that The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt would want to scrap him? The crash could have also been better but the episode reminded me a bit of _Percy Runs Away_. You guys may think I'm weird for liking this episode but despite its flaws, it's a **6.9/10** for me. Yes, could have been much better.

**8\. Thomas, Emily And The Snowplough**

Hmm, I've been looking forward to reviewing this episode. I was quite disappointed by how HIT handled Emily. In season 7, she was kind and helpful but here, she is just bossy and crabby. Despite the flaws of characterization, it was nice to see Thomas return to his hatred of his snowplow and it shows a great moral of listening to advice. Overall, it's a **7.4/10** for me.

**9\. Don't Tell Thomas**

Best episode of the season yet. I don't think the _winter holiday_ term was used at all here but you can tell me whether it was or not. Both narrators do a good job and the characterization is quite good but I do feel sorry for Thomas and he should've known that the only reason why his friends were ignoring him was because of the surprise. It's a very good watch and a good Christmas episode that you would rarely find in the HIT series until Andrew Brenner came along. On the whole, it's a **9/10** for me.

**10\. Emily's New Route**

Another good watch. Certainly better than _Bad Day At Castle Loch_ and at least it's not about Emily learning patience or trying to boss the other engines about but her character still needs a little tweaking to return her to the way she was in her debut. The shots were nice, especially at Black Loch and the seals. I think I'll give this episode an **8.3/10** for me.

**11\. Thomas And The Firework Display**

Wow, three very good episodes in a row. This one was quite enjoyable and Thomas and James are both in character. They have that kind of rivalry that you rarely see from S9-16. One little characterization nitpick though: I know Thomas is a cheeky engine but his reaction to James upon breaking down was a little too far, don't you think? I also didn't like how the fireworks were transported and there was no explanation to why James broke down. Maybe he popped a piston or something. And surely the signalman would have heard Thomas and James while they were waiting at the signal. At least signals have a reasonable use in this season. Despite the flaws, I believe that this episode deserves an **8.5/10**.

**12\. Gordon Takes Charge**

Best episode of the season yet! Great plot, great character development, pretty good narration and some very good writing. I don't think I saw any visual errors in this episode and Gordon and Percy are both in perfect character. Gordon gets good episode in the HIT series, no doubt about it. It's an exciting watch and a season 8 favorite for me. That's why I'm giving it a **9.3/10**.

**13\. Spic And Span**

Good episode with a good plot idea about a Railway Inspector. The characterization is good. Thomas and Percy both fit the lead roles perfectly and Gordon and James work good as rivals towards them for the cleanest engines on Sodor. However, I feel that Henry would've gone off in Emily's place. She is becoming too much like the other big engines and a bit of a bad role model for young female audiences, don't you think? The Railway Inspector, on the other hand, doesn't have a very good reason to come to Sodor. He should be there to see if the Island is operating well, not see how clean the engines are. Despite the flaws, it's an **8/10** for me.

**14\. Edward The Great**

What a great episode. Spencer makes a great return as an antagonist towards the Sodor engines and I love how the episode is loosely adapted from _The Tortoise And The Heir_. The character development is good except for one little nitpick: Gordon and James still look down on Edward despite the fact that they have learnt their lessons about him in season 2 and season 6. Maybe they didn't mean it and were just cross that they weren't to take the furniture instead of Edward. It's my favorite Edward episode of the HIT series, maybe until the premiere of season 18 came along, but you'll see what I thought about that soon enough. Too bad that Donald and Douglas didn't appear like they did in a deleted scene. Overall, I'm giving this episode a **9.4/10**.

**15\. Squeak, Rattle And Roll**

Another good watch despite being a bit of a step down. Gordon and Diesel are both in character but why would Gordon worry about being sent to the scrapyard. I guess I have an answer to that. Diesel can manipulate any steam engine in the thought of being scrapped. This episode shows how Gordon is another one of those who gets good episode in the HIT series. On the whole, it's an **8.8/10** for me.

**16\. Thomas And The Circus**

Another bit of a step down from the previous episode. Thomas isn't strong enough to pull the whole circus train by himself but he was a good choice of character. This episode has a good moral of asking for help when the work's too much for you. On the whole, it's an **7.8****/10** for me.

**17\. Thomas Gets It Right**

A good step up from the previous episode. It has a good moral about taking your time and it's nice to see Farmer McColl in a major role. The ending was funny with The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt explaining what had happened to the broken and so I give this episode an **8.5/10**.

**18\. As Good As Gordon**

Good episode here. It was quite well written but as much as Emily was a good choice, I still don't like her character is handled. However, it has a great moral of being patient so it's an **8.8/10** for me.

**19\. Fish**

Another nice episode, despite the fact that it could've had a better title like maybe _A Fishy Situation_ or something like that. I like how Arthur is put in a major role, something we have rarely seen after this episode. On the whole, I think this episode deserves an **8.4/10**.

**20\. Emily's Adventure**

Another good episode and as much as Emily is still a bossy and impatient character, it shows how she is finally learning patience and Elizabeth is in good character too. Thomas' characterization is a good reference to how he had a fallout with Emily in _Thomas, Emily And The Snowplough_, although I don't think that reference is very direct. Overall, I give this episode an **8/10**.

**21\. Halloween**

Favorite episode of the series, hands down. Thomas and Emily are in perfect character, definitely the best two engines for the lead role. Emily has finally settled down and reverted slowly back to her season 7 persona and the episode is a dark and spooky watch for kids and adults alike. Both the narrators do the job with much enthusiasm and The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt's characterization at the end was a lot like himself in season 17 and 18 if you think about how his firm attitude from S9-16. Overall, I give this episode a **9.6/10**.

**22\. You Can Do It, Toby!**

Hmm, this one was alright and little underrated. After being underused throughout the entire season, Toby finally gets a lead role, even if it would've suited Percy better. Think about it, you guys, here Toby actually shows plenty of courage and is not really scared much of anything. He's in character as compared to later on in the HIT series. Overall, I've this episode a **7.3/10**.

**23\. James Goes Too Far**

A large improvement. One of my favorite episodes of the season and James was perfect for the lead role. It just comes to show how HIT gives James good episodes and it has a great moral about the importance of jobs. A really delightful watch and that's why I give it a **9.4/10**.

**24\. Chickens To School**

Another good episode but it's kind of a rewrite of _Thomas And The Circus_, isn't it? Other than that, everyone's in character, especially Emily, who has reverted back to her season 7 persona after all. It has a great moral about asking for help and so I give it a **7.5/10**.

**25\. Too Hot For Thomas**

Hmm, another pretty good one for a Thomas episode, but Thomas should be more focused on getting his work done then taking the children to the beach. It's pretty underrated and has a good moral of working hard and not always getting what you want. It's a **6****.6/10** for me.

**26\. Percy And The Magic Carpet**

Hmm…this is a bit average but definitely underrated for a closer and overall, acceptable. Gordon's in character but Percy seems to have gone a bit too far with being clueless. I mean, why wasn't the carpet tied down in the first place? Why couldn't Murdoch have a speaking role, maybe show a bit of curiosity about the carpet? It was obviously the wind that made the carpet fly, even if this episode is a little untidily written. Despite the flaws, I give this an episode a **6.5/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, like many other fans who aren't too fond of S9-16, I find this season to be quite underrated and a small step up to season 7. The stories and their moralistic values are a great watch for kids, especially for me in my childhood years. For the first season not to feature the narrow gauge engines, I liked it that way since HIT was able to focus more primarily on the Steam Team. The writers did an okay job, there were some very well written episodes like _Edward The Great_ and _Halloween_ but needed tweaking on a few other episodes like_Henry And The Wishing Tree_ for example. The show started to show signs of the infamous three-strikes method after this season, that wouldn't be fixed until about 9 or 10 years later. The narration was okay, both narrators did their best, even though Michael Angelis showing a sign of old age and that he is getting ready to retire from the series. Michael Brandon, on the other hand, sounds very enthusiastic for some of the best episodes, but overall needs more work on his narration.

For the only season not to feature new characters, I quite liked it that way and it gave the Steam Team more time in the spotlight. Duck was originally going to be in Emily's place but parent activists, of course, who think they know it all and unintentionally made Britt Allcroft ruin a good movie and the show in general, complained about the series not having enough female characters and so Emily joined the seven engines from the first season. None of the other characters were replaced, but they weren't as important either. The sets for this season are also a little underrated. They look a bit like they did in the first season and that's good enough for me. There are some visual errors, like crashes that wouldn't work in reality, but the visuals were overall acceptable. The music was good with Robert Hartshorne but the Engine Roll Call by Ed Welch got a little repetitive after a while, don't you think? Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **8****/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. Halloween

2\. Edward The Great

3\. James Goes Too Far

4\. Gordon Takes Charge

5\. Don't Tell Thomas

6\. Thomas Saves The Day

7\. Squeak, Rattle And Roll

8\. As Good As Gordon

9\. James Gets A New Coat

10\. Thomas And The Firework Display

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Henry And The Wishing Tree

2\. Thomas And The Tuba

3\. Percy And The Magic Carpet

4\. Too Hot For Thomas

5\. Percy's Big Mistake

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	10. Calling All Engines (2005)

2005 marked the 60th anniversary of the Railway Series and so to celebrate, HIT Entertainment bought us _Calling All Engines_, the first-ever DVD special followed by season 9 in the autumn of 2005. Was the movie another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Plot**

The plot for the movie was better than _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_. It had a steamie vs diesel confrontation and that's how well it was used. There was a bit though and that was the learning segments which were barely needed at all. Overall, I'll give this category a **8****/10**.

**2\. Character Development**

The character development for this movie was good. It's nice to see the rivalry between steamies and diesels and good cameos from Derek and Daisy. I also like how Lady and Diesel 10 were given minor roles in the movie. I feel that the part where Thomas arranges for Diesel to take a load of bananas was a bit stupid though but without it, I don't think there would've been a story. I'll give an **7/10** for this category.

**3\. Narration**

The narration for this movie was good. Both narrators did a good job, even if Michael Angelis started to sound like he was getting old and Michael Brandon was still off with his voices at some points. On the whole, I give this category an **8****/10**.

**4\. Visuals**

There were some good visuals for this movie, despite the lack from the use of break vans throughout. Nothing bad to say about it, I give this category a **8****/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

While Robert Hartshorne's tunes were as slow as they were in the eighth season, Ed Welch did a pretty good job with arranging the songs and I like the reeducation of the Engine Roll Call. It's an **9****/10** for this category.

**6\. Length**

This movie had good pacing to it, but was just bought down a bit by the learning segments. That's all. I'm giving this category an **8****/10**.

**7\. Writing**

The script for this movie was better then _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_. There was not much alliteration to it either, unlike the writing that we had after this movie. Although, it wasn't great and I must admit that Sharon Miller could write better movies than this. I just can't explain what's wrong with the script. This category gets a **6/10**.

**8\. Direction**

Steve Asquith works as a much better movie director than Britt Allcroft. The sets, the modeling and mostly everything else about the movie makes it well-directed. Not much more to say, I'm giving this category an **8****/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, this movie is a big improvement over _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_. There were some nitpicks here and there but I just don't know how to explain them. It's a very enjoyable way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Railway Series and it's nice how the movie had an industrialized feeling of using characters that haven't been used in a while. Overall, I think this movie gets an accurate rating of **7.8****/10**.

WHAT'S YOUR RATING?


	11. Season 9 (2005)

2005 marked the 60th anniversary of the Railway Series and to celebrate, HIT Entertainment produced their first Thomas movie direct to VHS and DVD: Calling All Engines. This movie was followed by the ninth season in the autumn of 2005. A few changes took place. Sharon Miller was hired as a script writer and instead of focusing completely on the Steam Team like season 8 did, this season introduced some new characters and brought the narrow gauge engines back into the fold. In terms of narration, Michael Angelis stayed on board for the UK and while Michael Brandon continued in the US. Was season 9 another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Percy And The Oil Paiting**

Hmm, this season's off to a good start. Yes, there's a three strikes method but it wasn't as bad as later on the season and then onwards. Percy's a good choice for the character and he's gotten a better episode in the spotlight then he did in season 8. There were some nice new sets but I didn't like the attitude of the famous painted until the end. I did like his accent though and the painting of Percy. Despite a few nitpicks, this episode gets a **7.6/10**.

**2\. Thomas And The Rainbow**

A lesser achievement and quite an average watch. It was nice to see Edward in character but Thomas totally wasn't. He should've focused on his work rather than looking for some rainbow. There is a moral to it though and that's the importance of helping your friends. Despite its flaws with characterization, writing and story telling, you guys might find it weird that I'm half and half for this one. On the whole, it's a **4.5/10**. That's the best I could give it after all.

**3\. Molly's Special Special**

Hmm…this one was an improvement. For the first character to be introduced in the HIT series, Molly, despite not having much to do with the series after her debut, has much potential and might eventually return in CGI. I don't like how she's bullied for pulling empty trucks though. The episode has a nice moral about how important any job can be and you don't have to feel special to fit in. Despite it's flaws, some which I find hard to name, maybe not enough use of break vans, this episode gets a **6.8/10**.

**4\. Thomas' Milkshake Muddle**

Here's an okay watch with a pretty good plot idea. It's been a season 9 favorite for me in childhood. However, now that I'm older, I still like it but I realize how short it is of character development. Emily reverts back to her season 8 persona and her role in the episode could have definitely suited Gordon, James or Henry better. Thomas also should've known better than to go at such a speed with the butter churns and go past the red signal. That's just showing how little HIT has come to know about railway realism back then. Thomas' characterization in the end was good though and so I give this a **6.9/10**.

**5\. Mighty Mac**

Hmm…for a return of the narrow gauge engines, it's, um, quite average to be honest. I liked the basis of Mighty Mac and even though they look weird, their design is underrated and the unrealism in this episode what the episode lacks: a signalman and a crane. The way Mighty Mac moved through the rocks was unrealistic but I do like The Thin Controller/Mr. Percival as he is used more regularly through the HIT series. The episode wasn't bad at the least but it wasn't very good either. That's why I give it a **4.9/10**.

**6\. Thomas And The Toy Workshop**

Well, now, here's the start of the infamous _winter holiday_ term or at least where it was used on a more regular basis. That doesn't make it bad. It has an okay script to it and Thomas is good for the lead role, even if he could have asked for help to have any common sense with having so many jobs. A bit boring though. Overall, it's a **6****.4/10** for me.

**7\. Respect For Gordon**

Best episode of the season. It's just like I said in my previous review. Gordon gets good episodes in the HIT series and this is no exception. There are some good Railway Series references and everyone seems in character. It was very well written and brilliantly filmed, even if the crash was a visual nitpick with how it was handled. However, it made perfect sense for Gordon to be at the repair yard for more than a day and he seems to have matured since the events of this episode. So I give it an **8.9****/10**.

**8\. Thomas And The Birthday Picnic**

Hmm, for the first episode under Sharon Miller's writing skills, it was alright. The Dowager is properly introduced, despite being a bit of a nag throughout the episode but again, for a Sharon episode, you have to admit that, yes, the writing need major improvement. Enough said, I give it a **6.3/10**.

**9\. Tuneful Toots**

This is better. Not much to say about it but there's nothing much wrong with it either. Of course I've seen better episodes with the narrow gauge engines but this was one was bearable as compared to the next episode…so it's a **7/10** for me.

**10\. Rheneas And The Dinosaur**

Ugh, seriously? Worst episode of the show yet. Rheneas and Skarloey are both out of character and it comes to show that HIT back in the day didn't know sh*t about the narrow gauge engines or maybe even railway realism in general. The way the dinosaur was transported was quite unrealistic and Michael Brandon just ruins this even more from the fact that he has made no improvements on his voices for Rheneas and Skarloey. The only good thing about this episode was the way the dinosaur looked and the fact that Michael Angelis, despite a terrible script, tried his hardest. It's a **3/10** for me. A real disappointment and a disgrace to the Reverend W. Awdry himself.

**11\. Thomas And The New Engine**

Meh, this one was better but not by that much. I like Neville's basis but he seems like a one-off character that is just there for merchandising. People say that Edward is incredibly out of character in season 10 and as much as I agree, how much better is his persona here? Not much if you ask me. Henry would've gone off much better in his place while Edward warns the engines that the whole Neville thing might be a rumor. I don't mind Percy that much. He believes a lot of things others tell him but Emily? Come on. Now HIT's taken it too far. Gordon would've gone off better in her place. Despite it's flaws with writing and characterization, it has a good moral about not listening to rumors. The wrong characters were just used for the rumoring part. That's all. I give this episode a **3.5/10**.

**12\. Toby Feels Left Out**

This was a big improvement but still average. Toby should know better than to think that The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt would place him in a museum. Not much more said, it's enjoyable compared to the last two episodes and the museum carriage was definitely a highlight so that's why I give it a **5.5/10**.

**13\. Thomas Tries His Best**

Much better episode and a season 9 favorite for me. Everyone seems in character and it has a great moral about work coming before play. It also seemed very realistic with tail lamps and believe it or not, Thomas actually has a break van coupled to his train. That's why it's an **8.4/10** for me.

**14\. The Magic Lamp**

Hmm, this one seemed alright but totally dependent on the three strikes method. At least it wasn't as annoying as it was when the series progress on. Sir Handel's model turning into Proteus' looks a bit lazy since they couldn't do two models apart but it shows the possibility of Sir Handel returning. Even though Proteus may seem like a one-off, he's not a character who appears on Sodor in reality and therefore, it's no big deal here. On the whole, I think this episode deserves a **6****/10**.

**15\. Thomas And The Statue**

Here's another good one. It's quite funny how Michael Angelis gives Cranky Diesel's voice at one point and Thomas has reverted back to his season 1 persona about the statue. He seems a little too full of himself though and his attitude here makes me wonder whether Gordon or James would've gone off better in his place. He is being mature about his snowplow though and people may say that Edward is out of character but he is being wise saying it might be Thomas' statue and his expression shows that he realizes how silly Thomas is being but would let him figure that out for himself. The part where none of Thomas' friends want to talk to him makes you feel sorry for him and the ending could have had more to do with Thomas making up with his friends. I give this episode a **7/10**.

**16\. Henry And The Flagpole**

Ah, man. What a step down this is. It certainly isn't too bad but not that good either. Henry never gets really good episodes in the HIT series and this is no exception. Henry's very stupid about thinking that the workmen would cut down the tall pine tree and the introduction to trees at the beginning was just pointless. Plain pointless. Donald and Douglas would have gone off much better in Henry's place since Castle Loch reminds them of their home. But it's nice how Henry still maintains his love for the forest. Despite major flaws, this episode's alright and a **5.3/10** in my opinion.

**17\. Emily Knows Best**

A season 9 favorite and it always will be. Emily, instead of being bossy and impatient like in the eighth season, actually shows interest in helping her friends. Toby is quite wise about Emily's ideas and that shows his true persona. A few visual errors though. Toby's derailment was unrealistic and yes, there's still not enough break vans. The trucks' new laugh is creepy but doesn't save this episode from being at its best. Overall, it's an **8/10** for me.

**18\. Thomas' Day Off**

Good plot idea, average character development. Thomas, despite having a day off, wants to go around places? And Dennis, despite being an interesting, just seems to be a one-off if you ask me. But I like the American accent that he is given and this episode has a good script too. Despite a few flaws, I like it and that's why I give it a **6.8****/10**.

**19\. Thomas' New Trucks**

I don't get it. Engines have their own coaches but their own trucks? Seriously. The plot is pointless and the characterization, despite seeing Bill and Ben again and James caring about his paintwork, is weak with Thomas taking out his old trucks. It was quite an average watch but bearable at the least. That's it's a **5.4/10** for me.

**20\. Duncan And The Old Mine**

Hmm…I like this one. Duncan's very much matured since the classic series, this time more adventurous. The writing's okay with a railway series reference being used for the location Culdee Fell. I think this episode deserves a **7/10**.

**21\. Bold And Brave**

This one was also good but it could have been darker for the concept. Diesel's in perfect character but I do feel that Percy, who believes in monsters the most, could have gone off better in Thomas' place, don't you think? It was a bit weird seeing Ben without Bill but nice to see that either one of them play a major role to the plot. Despite a few flaws, this episode gets another **6.8****/10**.

**22\. Skarloey The Brave**

Ugh…what a bad episode. Worst episode of the season. Seriously, I mean someone as stupid as Sharon Milller would do editing to this, I could understand because the Reverend W. Awdry would be ashamed, heck if he were alive, this piece of sh*t would not exist. Skarloey is completely out of character and what the f*ck was Thomas doing there? What was his purpose for gods sake? Probably to serve the horror of the three strikes, huh? Well, in the pig-headed mind of Sharon Miller, I would think so. This episode comes to show that back in the day, HIT knew nothing about the Skarloey Railway engines and that's bad enough for me. Really, Paul Larson? Were you really stupid enough to let Sharon edit this? The only two people I acknowledge for this episode are Robert Hartshorne, you did a great job with the music, and Steve Asquith, you're good at creating sets but it's too bad that your direction was bought down by the horror of what this episode turned to be, A DISGRACE TO THE AWDRY LEGACY! Enough said, it's only worth the watch if you wanna look back at how beautiful the sets are, even in the winter time. Pretty low rating of **2.8/10**. Yes, I said it. I dislike this episode as much as the rest of you guys, but the sets of the Skarloey Railway are too nice that I just can't take off points for them.

**23\. Saving Edward**

Meh…slightly better but Edward is out of character, keeping secrets from The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt. This episode would have gone off much better in Henry or Gordon's place. Pacing was also pretty bad and so was the writing. The narrators sound bored and it's no surprise: it's a boring script. Not worth the watch, the sets are still nice and that's why I give this episode a **3.1/10**.

**24\. Thomas And The Golden Eagle**

Wow, three bad episodes in a row. Ah, well, this one was bearable compared to the last two and the eagles looked beautiful. It's nice how it focuses on Thomas and Percy's friendship but Thomas should be doing his work instead of slacking off and looking for some bird. Not really worth the watch, I give it a **4/10**.

**25\. Keeping Up With James**

Now this is a better episode. James and Edward are in character, though James should've learnt his lesson about Edward in the past and had more respect for him. The _winter holiday _term is used once again but it's not as bad as the Christmas episodes that were presented from S14-16. This episode has a good moral about being slow and steady and it's pretty enjoyable as compared to the last couple of episodes. It's a **7.8/10** for me.

**26\. Flour Power**

Hmm, I'm okay with this one. It's okay for a closer but could have gone off better if it was switched around with the last episode. The continuity, HIT, the continuity. Other than that, HIT sure knows how to handle the character of Diesel. It's just that he was handled much better when Andrew Brenner cam along. Thomas being covered in flour dust reminded me of_Ghost Train/Percy's Ghostly Trick_ but I still think this episode could have been spookier. Overall, I give a **7/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, this season was alright. It may have been the worst Thomas series to date, but compared to the writing crap that we got a few years later, this season was bearable and quite enjoyable. It feels kinda like season 8, kinda more untidily written, that's all. I remember watching this far back as the age of 10 and believe me, I was fooled. Now that I'm older, I realize how much this season is filled with flaws. Sharon Miller was bought at the writing helms and she worked as a script editor. Big mistake, HIT! You don't realize what this woman might do to damage the series. Britt Allcroft's not the only one who ruined the show for nearly a decade, you know!

The narration was kinda downhill, both narrators could have done better. No offense to Michael Angelis, he's a great guy and an underrated British actor, but he was getting old by this point. He sounds bored and feels tired of being on the job and I don't blame him. Reading off a script by a woman who would bring dark changes to the series for about half a decade would make anyone miserable. Michael Brandon, on the other hand, sounds more enthusiastic but I prefer him season 7 and 8. He hasn't improved one bit on his voices for the narrow gauge engines but just got worse by being consistent with them. Ah, well. It was nice to have them both on board.

Unlike season 8, this season introduced a variety of new characters, and believe me. The modeling looks beautiful but half of them are just one-offs. Mr. Percival's the only new character that doesn't strike in that category, he's an interesting character who actually has a reasonable purpose of being on Sodor, to look after the narrow gauge engines while Sir Topham Hatt is busy with his own engines. Andrew Brenner could have bought an explanation of that if he was in the writing helms, wouldn't he? And Molly and Mighty Mac have slight potential of returning in CGI but I'm not too sure on Neville and Dennis. They've each had only one appearance each since their debuts.

The music in this season is nice and Ed Welch did a good job with the music videos but the Engine Roll Call at the end of each DVD got more and more tiring. The sets in this season, like the previous season, are underrated. When I look at them in the Steam Team episodes, I think of the sets way back in season 1. I don't know what you guys think but that's just how I see it. Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **6/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. Respect For Gordon

2\. Thomas Tries His Best

3\. Emily Knows Best

4\. Keeping Up With James

5\. Percy And The Oil Painting

6\. Tuneful Toots

7\. Thomas And The Statue

8\. Thomas And The Toy Workshop

9\. Duncan And The Old Mine

10\. Thomas' Milkshake Muddle

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Skarloey The Brave

2\. Rheneas And The Dinosaur

3\. Saving Edward

4\. Thomas And The New Engine

5\. Thomas And The Golden Eagle

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	12. Jack And The Pack (2006)

Four years have passed since the debut of the sixth season where a new bunch of character known as _The Pack_ were introduced. Two episodes were created around these characters, attempting to create a spin-off series. However, the spin-off series was cancelled as it might have conflicted with HIT's plans when they took over the show. Four years later, around the time the tenth season aired, thirteen episodes were produced. Under a four and a half minute time limit like the classic series, Robert Hartshorne stayed on board for the scores in both the US and UK. In terms of narration, Michael Angelis stayed on board for the UK and while Michael Brandon continued in the US. Was Jack And The Pack: The Mini Series another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. A Visit From Thomas**

Hmm, what a great way to start the mini-series. The title's a little misleading but the modeling for the dinosaur bones. Not much more said, it's quite enjoyable and that's why I give it an **8.6/10**.

**2\. Jack Owns Up**

Wow, what a great step up. A total favorite from this mini-series. Miss Jenny's characterization at the end is good and it has a great moral about owning up to things. However, I thought that Jack would have learnt his lesson by now to not be so careless. It's a **8****.9/10** for me.

**3\. On Site With Thomas**

Another good episode but the title is very misleading. It was quite well written though and funny how the machines all end up arguing over who's the most important. Overall, I think this episode deserves an **8.5/10**.

**4\. Percy Helps Out**

Hmm, this was also good. Nelson's a great character and it's nice to see him in the lead role but again, a misleading title. Come on, was this under HIT's involvement because it could've been their choice of titles. It's an **8.3/10** for me.

**5\. The Tortoise And The Hare**

Love this episode. It may be similar to Edward The Great but it was thought of two years before then and believe or not, both episodes turned out to be successful in my eyes. I love Buster. He's my favorite of the new characters in this series and I love Max and Monty are like 'Arry and Bert in the normal series. They're great antagonists and their reaction to the bull was hilarious. I give this episode a **9.3/10**.

**6\. Thomas' Trusty Friends**

Rather disappointing. My least favorite episode of the mini-series. It surely wasn't bad but had a bit of a three strikes and a bit clunky written. I don't really like Oliver's attitude since he is supposed to wise and kind but in the episode, he is rather independent on Ned. It's still a good watch and that's why I give it a **6.4/10**.

**7\. A Tale For Thomas**

Much better. Favorite episode so far. Max and Monty still have the villainy to create the conflict for the episode and it's nice to see the teamwork between all the rest of the machines. On the whole, I think it's a **9.4/10**.

**8\. Alfie Has Kittens**

Wow, another awesome episode. My favorite of the mini-series. I love it. Alfie is perfectly for the storyline and it has an awesome moral that size is anything. It's a sweet and simple storyline and the modeling for the kittens was very nice. Overall, I give a **9.6/10**.

**9\. A Happy Day For Percy**

Another great episode? No way. Misleading title though. But Byron fits the lead role perfectly. Max and Monty are, again, your usual troublemaking villains and the part where Byron saved Alfie was nicely filmed. It's a **9.5/10** for me.

**10\. Mud Glorious Mud**

Kind of a step down. A bit slow paced but Isobella was a good choice of character. Not much more said, I think this episode deserves an **8/10**.

**11\. Percy's Scary Tale**

Another step down. It was nice and funny how Max and Monty got scared while going through but Thomas being thought at the One-Eyed Truck was painfully obvious for the audience, don't you think? It's still a fun watch and that's why I give a **6.8****/10**.

**12\. Kelly's Windy Day**

Slightly better episode but the way Isobella hung over the cliff was very unrealistic. But it had a great moral not giving up and having confidence. Overall, I give it an **8/10**.

**13\. Thomas And The Moles**

Great way to end off a mini-series. I feel sorry for Buster at the beginning and that Miss Jenny leaves him the odd one yet but the moles looked hilarious. Buster was perfect for this episode and so I give it an **8.8/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, this mini-series was quite enjoyable, despite a few misleading titles. It was nice to see The Pack again since season 6 but a little disappointing how only half of the episode count made it into production. The other half could've been produced a second season. Ah, well, you can't have it all, right? The narration was better, both narrators have done better than they did a year before. They both a good job with the voices for The Pack. Not much more to say there. The sets were, once again, nicely done. Robert Hartshorne did a good job with the tunes and I love The Pack theme. It's beautifully done. The writers did a very good job and Andrew Brenner being the head writer brings a lot of potential for the future of the show when Arc Productions took over with the visuals. Too bad that Nigel The Low-Loader never made it into the series though. Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **8.5****/10**.

**Top 5 Episodes:**

1\. Alfie Has Kittens

2\. A Happy Day For Percy

3\. A Tale For Thomas

4\. The Tortoise And The Heir

5\. Jack Owns Up

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Thomas' Trusty Friends

2\. Percy's Scary Tale

3\. Kelly's Windy Day

4\. Mud Glorious Mud

5\. Percy Helps Out

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	13. Season 10 (2006)

Following the commercial success of _Calling All Engines_ but the mixed reception of the ninth series of _Thomas &amp; Friends_, the tenth season aired a year later in the autumn of 2006 around the same time as Jack And The Pack: The Mini Series. The writing team continued writing for the series with Sharon Miller still at the helm as a script editor. For the last season to be filmed in standard definition, it was indeed the only season to feature 28 episodes to celebrate the milestone. Robert Hartshorne continued with the score for the episode while in terms of narration, Michael Angelis stayed on board for the UK and while Michael Brandon continued in the US. Was the season 10 of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ any improvement over season 9? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Follow That Flour**

Hmm, this was a good way to start off a season. We are introduce to the wharf and it looks beautiful. Maybe it could return in full CGI but why was Sir Handel cameoing when he was due to return in the next episode? I don't why the producers created large scale models for Thomas and James. They could just as well communicate with the narrow gauge engines with their original models. The characterization was good, especially the chemistry between Thomas and James. Thomas could have heard James whistling though while he was chuffing along with the broken truck of flour, don't you think? Despite a few flaws here and there, this episode deserves an **8.1/10** in my opinion.

**2\. A Smooth Ride**

Man, what a step down this was. It was nice to see Sir Handel back and I like how his attitude has changed from the fourth season. He is much more mature and I like him that way, especially in the CGI series. However, there is one writing error and characterization error that doesn't seem like some nitpick but a big mistake for Sir Handel's persona. Why on earth, HIT, would you depict Sir Handel as one of the oldest engines on Sodor? You've matured him a lot but this is one big mistake I'll never forgive you for! At least until Andrew Brenner comes along and teaches you a thing or two. Despite the major errors that this episode presented, I still liked it, especially since we see some good characterization out of The Thin Controller/Mr. Percival taking action for Sir Handel's problem. I think this episode deserves a **6.8/10**.

**3\. Thomas And The Jet Plane**

A better episode. Jeremy's a nice character who may have some potential for returning in CGI, but at this point, he seems like another one-off, don't you think? I hate how Thomas is suddenly so scared of planes and it's not the characterization you'd want to see out of the little blue engine, do you? Other than that, it's a rarity that you see a rail vs. road rivalry besides this until the seventeenth season so I think this episode gets a **7.6/10**.

**4\. Percy And The Funfair/Percy And The Carnival**

Now this was a better episode. Percy's starting to get better episodes in the HIT series and the music at the beginning is nice and peaceful and will get you excited for the events the episode. Despite the three strikes method, this episode has a good length to it and it was nice to see the Chinese Dragon again. But Percy should know better than to forget that his friends need coal to complete their jobs, shouldn't he? Percy's a naive engine but that's a part of the story that needs tweaking. Overall, I give an **8.1/10**.

**5\. The Green Controller**

One step up, one step down and way beyond. What were thinking, Sharon? Haven't you watched the classic series or even read the Railway Series? From the words of The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt, it's his railway and he gives the orders but to leave a steam locomotive in charge of the railway, are you kidding me? And why would Gordon and James believe Percy after being fooled by him back in season 2's _Percy And The Signal_? Without it, there'd be no story, right? It seems that Britt Allcroft's not the only woman who ruined the series but some other woman bought it far enough past it's prime and you all know who that is, right? And Toby's not strong enough to pull express. I would've rather given his role in the story to Henry or somebody else. Other than that, this episode was not boring in the least and at least Thomas is in character and James' busy bee livery is funny. It reminds me of season 3 and has a good reason for being merchandised. Despite that, it's an average watch and gets a **5.9/10**.

**6\. Duncan Drops A Clanger**

This one was an improvement but I'm not sure if there's much to say about it. But the three strikes is nowhere to be seen and neither is Thomas. That's good enough for me. I think I'll give this one a **7.9/10**

**7\. Thomas' Tricky Tree**

Meh, could've been better. Duncan's in perfect character but I can't believe how stupid Thomas is to believe that Sir Handel and especially Skarloey would tease him about the whole Christmas tree thing. Without it, there'd be no story, right? And he should know what a Christmas tree looks like. He's been on Sodor for so long. That's a lazy hand in writing right there. Despite the flaws, the wharf looks nice in the winter time and at least Skarloey was not out of character while trying to tell Thomas where the Christmas tree was so it's a **6.5/10** for me.

**8\. Toby's Afternoon Off**

Well, now. This is a good episode and the best of the season yet. Still a bit of a three strikes and a pointless opener too but it's a Toby episode that manages to transcend what has become of him in later seasons. I'm still not sure whether or not he's strong enough to pull the express but the episode has a great moral of sacrificing your spare time to help others in distress. Despite being a few nitpicks that I have just mentioned, I think this episode deserves an **8.3/10**.

**9\. It's Good To Be Gordon**

Wow, another great episode and one of my two favorite episodes of the season. Yes, it's not the first time I've said that a Gordon episode is the best of the season, but that's because HIT and their writers know the character very well and therefore give him good episodes. I felt sorry for Gordon since he didn't beat his record and why does Henry still need special coal? That's one mistake HIT never solved until Andrew Brenner came alone. A very good watch and that's why I give it a **9/10**.

**10\. Seeing The Sights**

Phew, what a boring episode and there was a three striker too. Thomas and Gordon maintain the same big vs. small rivalry but Thomas should've known better than to leave all the passengers behind. Not a very good watch but the sets are nice and so I give a **4.9/10**.

**11\. Fearless Freddie**

Not a good episode. It's the worst we've had since _Skarloey The Brave_ and that was not too long ago, was it? Fearless Freddie's an interesting who doesn't seem much like a one-off at all and his basis is really interesting. But Skarloey and Rheneas are out of character, not by that much as compared to season 9, but still, out of character. I give it a **3.5/10**.

**12\. Toby's New Shed**

I like this episode but I don't have really much to say about it. Yes, Toby's got two good episodes in this season and it's nice to see Thomas helps him in a way that they are good friends. There are some flaws but I just don't know how to explain them. It's an **8.1/10** for me.

**13\. Edward Strikes Out**

Okay, I've been looking forward to reviewing this episode. It's overfilled with flaws but let's just start with the real problem: EDWARD IS INCREDIBLY OUT OF CHARACTER! What kind of a "new fangled nonsense" even came up with the idea for this episode without putting a more suitable engine like James or Henry or maybe even Spencer in the lead role but our favorite blue engine who started the world of Thomas: Edward? In season 6, I could forgive that little nitpick that Jonathan Trueman presented, but, Sharon, WHAT THE F*CK WERE YOU THINKING? If HIT really wanted Edward to have a lead role this season, they could have switched episodes between him and Henry and made Big Strong Edward to continue the rivalry between Edward and Gordon that they've had since the start…OR…star James and Edward together in the lead role with James taking Edward's characteristics and Edward instead assuring Rocky that he will be of use eventually. He could have told James repeatedly that they needed Rocky and Emily is still impatient despite learning her lesson in the past! It's not a good watch and very stupid of Edward to leave without the pipes but the pacing was good, Gordon's accident seemed exhilarating despite still being similar to previous accidents that have occurred in the early HIT series, and I always liked Robert's theme for Edward. Other than that, this episode came to show how HIT Entertainment, at times, don't know sh*t about Thomas but Sharon helps them no better in that position. It has its visual advantages, like Rocky's basis for example, and, my friends, I believe I give this episode a **4/10**. I liked it better as a kid because I thought Gordon was Edward's influence on how he treated Rocky but now, I have more common sense and see Edward had a choice on how he would take to Rocky being on Sodor. HIT had a choice, so please guys, I would rather that you not blame this all on Britt Allcroft. She knew much more about Edward than Sharon did.

**14\. Topped Off Thomas**

Wow, another bad watch and a bad way to return Spencer to the series! Thomas' expression at one point looked so f*cking weird, and, not to be offensive, like he as ready to karate chop in Spencer's ass, or tender if you want to think engine-wise. It was bad and a terrible idea for a plot. Plus, the three strikes method has just gotten more and more obvious, hasn't it. And, why should The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt/The Fat Controller fuss about some hat of his. He could always buy a new one, right? It was a very bad watch and only worth the watch if you want to look at the sets and hear the catchy music. Other than that, it was terrible at the helms of characterizing, storytelling and writing thanks to the writer of disaster herself Ms. Miller. I'm sorry, how about Sharon Miller. It's stupid right to address her as Miss, right? But she did that in her script, didn't she? I don't know. Why don't you ask her good friends MR. WIND?! I give it a **2.8/10**. Yes, from the rating I gave for each category, it's the best I could give it so there.

**15\. Which Way Now?**

Now, after two bad episodes, we have a good one. Rusty was alright for the lead role but I rather would have given it to Duncan since he's the most impatient one out of the narrow gauge engines. HIT knows Rusty better than to rush the workmen. And there's a bit of three strikes method. Other than that, it was kind of exciting and the narrators did a good job. What was worth a chuckle was Rusty's voice in the US narration when he says _time to go_. There's also some railway realism with signs being put up. (SIGNS of railway realism, get it?) On the whole, I get it a **7.6/10**.

**16\. Thomas And The Shooting Star**

Another good episode. I really liked this one. While it has that _Thomas And The Rainbow_-esque moment, it's surely better than that writing piece of crap. It showed a sign of railway realism with head lamps and I like how the whole episode takes place at night. The shooting star looks beautiful and the episode isn't so badly written either. It's an **8.3/10** for me.

**17\. Big Strong Henry**

Like I said in my review of _Edward Strikes Out_, if HIT wanted the entire Steam Team in the lead role this season, they could have switched episodes. Henry could have starred with Rocky and Edward could maintain some kind of rivalry with Gordon here with the little engines by his side. Wouldn't that be something? It wouldn't exactly be the best Edward episode but it would be ten times better then how we've seen him in the spotlight this season, don't you think? The moral of not being strong but helpful would fit Edward, yet again, perfectly in my opinion. Back to the episode itself, it was enjoyable and probably my favorite Henry episode under HIT's involvement, at least from series 8-16 (since most of them sucked and another one was kinda, ah well, I'll talk about that in my next review) and until season 17 at the least. I'm surprised that Gordon would want to pull trucks and the part with the cows, of course, reminds me of _Cows/A Cow On The Line_ back in season 2 and that was twenty years away from this, lol. It's a **7.5****/10** for me. It's a good watch but needed some tweaking here and there.

**18\. Sticky Toffee Thomas/Sticky Taffy Thomas**

Hmm, I like this one but there's not much to say about it. Thomas' costume at the end is a great homage to _Woolly Bear_, lol, two season 2 memories in a row. What a nice way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of such a great season. But again, there's that typical children's party and a three strikes method that you'd see out of a HIT episode. I like it but it has flaws, two of them which I just explained. I think this one gets a **6.5/10**.

**19\. Wharf And Peace**

I liked this one when I was younger. The music was catchy and kind of reminded of Skarloey from he was to start with. But now that I'm older, I see it's problems. While he is being wise and giving his friends advice, (guys, maybe if you hate this episode, you might want think about what I just said there) he's still a wimp. Yes, Skarloey never gets very good episodes in the HIT series and this is no exception. It's underrated in my opinion because of Skarloey's advisory, but average from how Skarloey is so scared of everything, especially the wharf. Sure this nothing that Blue Mountain Mystery gave us but while it may be bad in some cases, it has its advantages and Skarloey is not that out of character if you think about how he was handled in season 9 and than later on in S11-12. I give it a **5.9/10**.

**20\. Thomas' Frosty Friend**

Well, well, well, I've been looking forward to reviewing this one and I have a few thing to discuss which means I have a few things to say about it: BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD! NO, NOT BAD, OOBER BAAAAAAAD! This episode was one of those episodes which you'd never want to watch unless you're watching this season in order or maybe if you want to glance back at the beautiful sets that it has to offer. But, on the helms of characterizing, writing and storytelling, I have to stress again BAAAAAAAAAAD! Thomas is so stupid. He should have known that the snowman, or "Mr. Snowman" if Sharon herself wants to politically correct me, was inflated and again, HIT, again Sharon, THE THREE STRIKES METHOD! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Without it, there'd be story, right?! RIGHT?! RIIIIIIIGGGHT?! Ugh, I could've just went and said this episode was okay compared to _The Snowman Party_ episode in season 14 but no, this was no better and neither was that episode. At least James, Emily and The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt but they could've been butchered up too. Noooooo, (sarcastically) though in HIT's mind back in the day, it would be common sense, it wouldn't be a story or a THREE STRIKES METHOD WITHOUT IT! It's a **2.1/10**. Yes, it was terrible from everything I've mentioned from above but I give credit to Robert Hartshorne, your tunes aren't bad, like always, and are just dragged down by the sh*ttiness of the storyline and Steve Asquith, you may not the best director when it comes to crashes, but your sets match those from the classic series. Enough said, I am done with this episode. DONE!

**21\. Emily And The Special Coaches/Emily And The Special Cars**

Oh, finally. A good episode. Yes, a good episode. Hopefully, you all recovered from my review on the previous episode by this point. Emily's a good choice of character but she is so stereotypical against diesels and, again, that makes her too much like she was in season 8. As much as I'm a guy who grew up with this shows, how do you expect younger female audiences to learn if there's no good influence on them from their favorite show? At least she's trying to help her steam engine, or "steamie" if HIT wants to correct me, friends. Gordon's new coaches looked nice and so did Diesel's new engine. Despite a few visual nitpicks, especially Diesel's speed, the narrators sounded quite enthusiastic, the pacing was also pretty good, the writing was good and not much more said, this episode gets an **8.3/10**.

**22\. Thomas And The Colours**

Another nice episode and feels like a season 6-8 episode compared to some episode in this season. Thomas and James are in character with their rivalry but Thomas, again, is stupid and this time quite selfish. Gordon would have probably been better off in his place. Writing could have been better, especially with the kinda misleading title. Not much more said, this episode's alright and that's why I give it a **7/10**.

**23\. Thomas And The Birthday Mail**

Oh my god, another good episode. No way. This season's building it's way back up to at least, an average storytelling front but this, as no exception, is a great episode that is just what we needed to bring back up to that way. It's not the best script to offer, but it's ten times better then several episodes within this season of which I won't bother to name. Rosie's my favorite character introduced in this season. She might not have to do with the show after this episode but she spawned her own episode with yet another female, haha. She might not strike too much interest among writers but she might at some point and at least she was one of those characters who made it into the CGI series. Enough about Rosie's background, back to the story itself. At the storytelling front, Harold has plenty of purpose for his role in the story and Rosie's crush on Thomas is quite cute to be honest. Obsessive but cute. She manages to teach Emily a thing or two with her persona of being kind hearted and caring and she's just what I expected out of Emily from the start: having a soft spot for Thomas. Back in the day, Emily grew conceited towards Thomas and became more like her fellow big engines. But shouldn't Rosie be doing her own work instead of following Thomas around? Maybe a little bit more of an introduction of how she arrived in the first place would be nice. There were some errors and the landslide was kinda unrealistic but this episode was enjoyable if you ask me and so I give an **8.1/10**.

**24\. Duncan's Bluff**

No way. Another great episode and better than the previous one. My favorite narrow gauge episode between seasons 9 and 12 and on par with _It's Good To Be Gordon_ as one of my two season 10 favorites. James and Duncan are both in character and to perfection for the lead role. It was very well-written and Mr. Percival's "delay and confusion" part was a refreshing change from saying it the other way around. One part of unrealism though and this is just a little nitpick for me, it's just the use of coal. In real life, one narrow gauge coal truck wouldn't be enough to fill up a standard gauge tender. Thomas' appearance was also way too unnecessary. Despite that little flaw, it's a great watch and another **9/10** for me.

**25\. Missing Trucks/Missing Cars/Missing Freight Cars**

Oh my god. Another, yet, another great episode. Another narrow gauge from HIT and it's nowhere hard to see why. Yeah, sure, Skarloey's a whiny little b*tch, not in reality but if HIT wanted to use their stupidity to make him female and put the lack of female character complaints to an end, maybe yeah. Skarloey's whinging that he is tired and I would have had his role switched with Rheneas in this episode and maybe Rheneas could have gotten Wharf And Peace. Enough about that, Rheneas is in character. Being helpful and treating Skarloey like he actually is his best friend, unlike two episodes in similarity from the S9-12 era. This episode is a complete middle finger to them both. It may not be perfect, but it's exciting and very enjoyable, although Rheneas could have remembered where the trucks were. I give it an **8.5/10**.

**26\. Thomas And The Treasure**

Wow, many steps up down and now we have a step down? It has some great vocabulary to it like _maritime_ and _admiral_ but it has it's major flaws. You guys maybe like this episode a lot but I'm not very keen on it to be honest. Emily is, again, too much like your typical big engine and not really a good influence on young female audiences. It was a three-striker, though, not as bad as S13-16, and bad characterization out of Thomas. He should be focusing on his work and taking the admiral to the museum, not looking for treasure. It's a good watch for me nevertheless of it's flaws. Bluff's cove is a nice location that I'd like to see return in CGI. On the whole, I think this episode is a **5.8/10** for me.

**27\. James The Second Best**

Hmm, for a James episode, this one was pretty good. James usually gets good episodes in the HIT series and it's no wonder. They know his vain sense of nature and capture it quite well. But he must've already learnt his lesson about Edward and come to respect him by now, don't you think? The big engines always suffer this same issue and it irks me sometimes. Other than that, I like the idea of a billboard and a poster engine and James and Edward were the two best episodes at the forefront for an episode like this. The crash was quite well-filmed and it was nice to see James being a back engine rather than Edward. On the whole, this gets a **7.5/10**.

**28\. Thomas And Skarloey's Big Day Out**

Wow, what a nice closer to a season. Skarloey's season 4 model makes a comeback, though it may take time to realize that from the start, and the sights are beautiful. There was a bit of a three-striker though and why not say repair yard instead of "repairers"? And Michael Brandon still could have done better with Skarloey's voice. Ah, well. Those didn't affect the story too much. For a closer, I give it an **8/10** because it was that good.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, the tenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ was a small improvement towards season 9 at the storytelling front. The writers still could have done a better job though, Sharon Miller in particular. This season was unique for having 28 episodes though two of them didn't have to made in the first. Yes, I'm talking about _Thomas' Frosty Friend_ and _Topped Off Thomas_ in particular. The characters introduced in this season struck a slight bit of interest among writers and animators in the present day, Rocky and Rosie in particular, but Freddie and Jeremy may return someday. Thomas has way too many appearances for the lead character in the show and it still happens today, but at least he always has a purpose for doing so in the Andrew Brenner era.

The music was good. Robert Hartshorne was still at his best (at least at that point) and Ed Welch arranged some of my favorite songs of the HIT series, like _Favorite Places_ and definitely _There's Always Something New_ for example. The sets were beautiful, especially the Wharf and the Maritime Museum. At the narrating front, Michael Angelis was brave enough to stay on board but he is getting old by this point and therefore, his narration may want to lull you to sleep. It's not much of a wonder there. The writing may want to put you to sleep as well. Michael Brandon, on the other hand, is also at his best but his childish voice for the series worsens as the writing does. Ah, well, again, it was nice to have him on board. Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **6.8****/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. It's Good To Be Gordon

2\. Duncan's Bluff

3\. Missing Trucks/Missing Cars/Missing Freight Cars

4\. Toby's Afternoon Off

5\. Thomas And The Shooting Star

6\. Emily And The Special Coaches/Emily And The Special Cars

7\. Percy And The Funfair/Percy And The Carnival

8\. Toby's New Shed

9\. Thomas And The Birthday Mail

10\. Follow That Flour

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Thomas' Frosty Friend

2\. Topped Off Thomas

3\. Fearless Freddie

4\. Edward Strikes Out

5\. Seeing The Sights

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	14. Season 11 (2007)

Following the mixed to positive reception of the tenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_, the eleventh season aired a year later in the autumn of 2007. The writing team continued writing for the series with Sharon Miller still at the helm as a script editor. This changed and ended a few things for the show. For one thing, the episodes were filmed with high definition cameras and it was the last season to feature complete model work before slight changes were made a year later. Robert Hartshorne continued with the score for the episode while in terms of narration, Michael Angelis stayed on board for the UK and Michael Brandon continued in the US. Was season 11 of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ any improvement over season 10? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Thomas And The Storyteller**

Hmm, what a nice way to start off a season. Great characterization with a pretty good story sticking to a moral that a good story could be made up of anything. I don't know if that sounds right, do you? Thomas is helpful like in the classic series and not stupid like he is in various episode and even though there is a three strikes, would there have been a story without it? I really don't know but I bet Andrew Brenner would portray this plot idea much differently. Overall, I give an **8.1/10**.

**2\. **Emily's Rubbish/**Emily And The Garbage**

What a good way to continue a season. Emily's an okay character to star in the spotlight with Whiff but I maybe would have switched her role around with Spencer's. But with that, Emily would be back to her season 8 persona or maybe she could have been one of the teasing engines. Speaking of Whiff, I was not impressed to start with but he has quite a bit of interest among writers in the present day so I like him better now. But speaking of Spencer, what's he doing on Sodor? Do the Duke and Duchess have a reasonable purpose for being there. The next episode fixes that problem so I maybe would have switched this episode around with _Dream On_. It would make more sense, don't you think? Not much said, the big engines are in perfect character, especially Gordon and James and it's nice to see so many of HIT's past characters make a comeback. Despite it's flaws, it had a good story to it and a great moral about appearances not being any big deal. On the whole, it's an **7.5****/10** for me.

**3\. Dream On**

Great episode but not enough said. Spencer works great as an antagonist towards his fellow steam engines and even though there is a three strikes method, which got more and more obvious around this time, it was used in a good way. On the whole, it was a season 11 favorite for me as a kid and it still is today and so I think this one deserves a **8.8/10**.

**4\. Dirty Work**

Wow, another good episode? The writers did a fairly well job, even there is a three strikes but I think there would have been a story without it this time. Again, HIT knows James well and give him good episodes in the spotlight. Overall, I give it an **7.9/10**.

**5\. Hector The Horrid**

Another great episode, no way. It's nice to see Rosie play a fairly major role and I love Hector, even though he didn't have much to do with the series after this but he might be around in the CGI series at some point. This episode has a great moral about standing up to bullies and the narrators do their work with such enthusiasm, especially the _keep away_ part. It's a great watch and that's why I give it a **9/10**.

**6\. Gordon And The Engineer/Gordon And The Mechanic**

Oh, my god. Another great episode? No, not only that but I believe it's a Gordon episode and for the third time in a row, it's my favorite episode of the season. It's the best episode that we've ever had since season 8's _Halloween_ and it's railway smart. Donald and Douglas make an awesome comeback and Michael Angelis has not lost touch with their voices. But still, Michael Brandon tries his hardest at their voices but in the end, I'm not keen on it. I don't suspect that you guys might be either, but are you? Other than that, the narrators did the job with even more enthusiasm; pacing was good; music was beautifully, especially Gordon's theme. I love this episode and I wish the season had more episodes like this before going downhill. I give it a **9.6/10**.

**7\. Thomas And The Spaceship**

Hmm…this seemed quite nice. Good concept but a three-striker stood in the way. The airport looks great at night and it seems that HIT had a good sense of knowledge about railway realism by this point. The realism is where Thomas pulls six mail vans. Despite being a three striker, it's a good watch and deserves a **7.8/10** in my opinion.

**8\. Henry's Lucky Day/Henry's Lucky Trucks**

Oh, boy. Why doesn't this surprise me? Another great episode. No, the series has gone downhill by this point. Henry never gets great episodes in the HIT series but this seems alright compared to the next season with Henry in the spotlight. But Thomas' appearance was so pointless and again, it's repetitive despite me not remembering much of a three striker. It's because I don't watch that episode at much. Then there's a problem with the script. First off, I'm getting so sick and tired of hearing all this _winter holiday_ nonsense and it's not hard to the term _Christmas_ not only in the script but in front the word _presents train_. But the music of Henry rolling downhill was wonderfully done and the moral has a good moral about not always being lucky. Despite flaws here and there, I give a **6.4/10**.

**9\. Thomas And The Lighthouse**

No better, no worse. This episode was just unrealistic too. No doubt about it from the way the lightbulb was transported and a writing error while the narrator says _Thomas speeded up_. Now, who the hell would make a mistake something like that? I'm surprised it wasn't Sharon Miller. Another three striker and receptiveness from the writer. I did feel sorry for Thomas since he was left the odd one out on the firework party but that was his own stupid fault, wasn't it? Thomas is smarter than to speed up like that but it wasn't entirely his fault. The lightbulb should have been carried in a more sensible manner. Major flaws here and there but it was nice to see Cyril the fog man make a slight comeback and there's a nice moral of work coming before play. I give it another **6.4/10**.

**10\. Thomas And The Big Bang**

Hmm…I've been looking forward to reviewing this episode because many other episodes between S9-10, there's a lot to talk about. The sets were nice, especially the wharf, but the episode itself is still BAAAAAAAAD! I enjoyed it when I first viewed it as a preteen because I found it funny but now that I think about it, it's terrible. Has Thomas ever been so stupid? I don't think there's an answer to that but definitely the narrow gauge engines. Now that's a stupidity we haven't seen out of them before. If this episode were to be any better, which I don't think it could have been, Duncan could've been one of the engines f*cking around and goofing off while Rusty could have taken Peter Sam's place with the logs. But that wouldn't have made any better sense since Peter Sam has a born tendency to work. The writers, and HIT in general by no f*cking surprise, showed that they didn't know sh*t about Rheneas and Skarloey and it's a crying shame! (lol, I swore twice in one sentence. You'll see a lot more of this when it comes to such a bad episode) Anyway, those two engines should not have been goofing off. They know better than that! THEY'RE OVER 100 YEARS OLD! SERIOUSLY, HIT! TAKE YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR ASSES UNLESS ANDREW BRENNER COULD TAKE THEM OUT FOR YOU! YOU EXPECT CHILDREN TO LEARN HOW TO BEHAVE AND BE MORE PRODUCTIVE WITH THIS PIECE OF SH*T?! I DON'T THINK SO 'CAUSE THIS IS NOWHERE NEAR PRODUCTIVE! The only good characterization was out of The Thin Controller/Mr. Percival who warned the engines to have all the work done by teatime could have shown that there could have been severe consequences unless the work was done. Thomas pulling Mr. Percival's leg with the joke he was playing at the end of the episode was funny and bought a smile to my face. Not that anything else in this episode besides the visuals did of course. I give a **2.6/10** at it's best.

**11\. Smokes And Mirrors**

Another bad episode? Come on, HIT. Thomas is smarter than this. I'm not gonna talk much about this episode. It has everything you'd look for in a bad Thomas, especially a three-striker. A few positives come from the sets that it presented and the magic show at the end and…the accent of the magician. It was hilarious. Enough said, I give it a **3.4/10**.

**12\. Thomas Sets Sail**

Three bad episodes in a row with Thomas acting like a complete idiot? No way. The sail boat looks beautiful but it's unrealistic in the way that the sailboat was transported, don't you think? The mass should have been down. It has a great range of female characters like Molly and Rosie for example who rarely come to appear (well, at least one of them does as a background) but that does not make this episode any good. A decent story would like I don't know, maybe, maybe, maybe, well maybe not. I don't f*cking know. This episode was visually entertaining but bland and boring on the storytelling front thanks to the Master Writer of Disaster herself and I will not mention a name you all know. I give it another **3.8/10**.

**13\. Don't Be Silly, Billy**

Oh my god? Another bad episode. Why doesn't this surprise me? Oh, I think I know why. It's because it was written, yet again, by Sharon Miller. Billy's just a pointless one-off and I have no idea whether or not he will eventually strike interest among writers in the modern day. He has a pretty low chance as do most characters that Britt Allcroft had created (save for Butch and Cranky) but enough with that. The episode was so badly written and Billy is such a f*cking lithe punk towards Thomas, speaking of the little blue engine, at least he had some common sense and taught Billy a thing or two by eventually leaving him on his own. That may have seemed unnecessary but it taught stupid Billy a lesson. At least this still bearable compared to a few Engines And Escapades episodes I will not name. I give this one a **2.6/10**.

**14\. Edward And The Mail**

Finally! This one seemed alright. Edward was out of character but not like he was in the past two seasons. He was the wrong choice of character though. This should have been given to some other character like Gordon or James or maybe Spencer who take disgust in pulling the mail and refuse to take advice to Percy. Or it could have been given to a newer character like maybe Neville who, with the facial expressions, may have been a good choice of character for this episode. Good story, just given to the wrong character, that's all. I think I'm gonna give this one a **6.8/10**. It was very enjoyable compared to the last few episodes we've had.

**15\. Hide And Peep**

Now this is better. The pun on the title was brilliant. This is an episode with a simple story, kinda like of the season 6 sort, that focuses on Thomas and Percy's friendship, not on engines being incredibly stupid. Percy's hiding spots were visually incorrect. If HIT back in the day knew any better about the show from the classic series (I'm talking about season 6 here), they'd realize that it's not safe for an engine to go on to the tipper's loading ramp. Season 6 may been a bit unrealistic but it had lots of railway realism too. Not like this. And five years ago from back to this season, Percy should have learnt from his experience. But Thomas was in perfect character with his cheekiness and Cranky, instead of being depicted as a short-tempered jerk, shows a friendly side towards the engines, something that would carry on in the CGI series despite, in the words of Andrew Brenner, being cranky by nature. Haha. It's a fun watch and has a great moral of not cheating. At least Thomas and Percy's time for the game was used wisely as there was no other work to do besides wait for the ship. I give this an **8.1/10** because it was so enjoyable.

**16\. Toby's Triumph**

After two good episodes, well, yes, unfortunately, we've got another bad one. Toby is just being a total wimp but this doesn't get as cringeworthy as _The Christmas Tree Express_. To be honest, it's pretty enjoyable compared to that horribly written piece of sh*t. This, on the other hand, is still bad but again, like every other episode this season, has its advantages. Alicia Botti made a good comeback and the way in which the narrators handled the _shoooo, cow_ line was outrageous. I give it a **4/10** at it's best.

**17\. Thomas And The Runaway Car**

Hey, what do you know? A well-written episode out of Sharon Miller. Thomas and Gordon maintain that rivalry that they've had since season 1 and believe it or not, I don't think I've seen an episode this good since the last Gordon episode, lol. Arthur and Rosie make good use in this episode too, especially for the laughs. A little too much repetitiveness though and that's from Sharon herself. _The runaway brand new Hatt blue car_? Come on, gimme a break. And the way in which the car, or the "runaway brand new Hatt blue car" if Sharon wants to politically correct me, was kinda unrealistic, especially without a break van. Enough about the cons, it's a rarity that Sharon can write a script like this, especially since most of her episodes suck. The characterization too. Andrew Brenner may have gave Sharon a phone call to write about something like this, who knows? And who cares? It's a good story and the humor is something that you'd see more from season 17 onwards, except with a better hand in writing, haha. I give it an **8.8/10** because it was that good.

**18\. Thomas In Trouble**

Another episode about Thomas. And this wasn't so bad either. Sure it was dangerous for Thomas to go off without a final inspection, plus he is sorta out of character towards Toby, but maybe it's because he was going through a hard time and Toby understands and forgives. Plus, at least the idea of a final inspection shows that HIT has done their homework, maybe during the production of all the sh*tty episodes earlier on the season, to produce good episodes like this. It's a good watch and that's why I'm giving it an **8/10**.

**19\. Thomas And The Stinky Cheese**

Wow, three great episodes in a row. And all having to do with Thomas as well. This episode was in the best of ways exciting but as much as the steam vs diesel concept is used perfectly and up to par with _Calling All Engines_, it gets tiring after a while, don't you think? And the way in which the stinky cheese was transported was unrealistic. Despite that, a decent crash was presented here and the way in which Thomas says _phee-u. What a stink_ at the end is quite funny and is Diesel's expression. I give it a **9/10** because it was so enjoyable and definitely a season 11 favorite.

**20\. Percy And The Left Luggage/Percy And The Baggage**

Hmm…interesting way in which we end off the televised part of the series and definitely enjoyable compared to what we have to continue with, don't get me wrong there. Edward was in character, for once, with offering to help Percy with his jobs but again, this episode has its disadvantages. For one thing, it's a three striker and therefore, kinda weak at the writing and storytelling front, but strong compared to the narrow gauge bullsh*t that followed, don't you think? I like this episode and it has a refreshingly different moral about not leaving the more important things to the last minute. At least Percy was smart enough to remember the luggage. It just lacks a timetable and maybe a signalman in case you haven't noticed. I give it an **8/10**. Yes, fellas, I don't know about you guys but I loved it as a kid and now I like it by this much.

**21\. Duncan Does It All**

And so we come to the _Engines And Escapades_ DVD release, and shall I stress? This is in no way any good of a starter. At the storytelling front of course. Typical three striker, engines not being told off for their lack of process but hey, at least Duncan was a good choice of a character for a bad and stupid storyline. The moral of jobs not always being exciting helps kids learn from that experience. But still, it's bad and a **3.4/10** for me at it's best.

**22\. Sir Handel In Charge**

Bad, bad, bad again! Wow. Another bad episode and a rewrite of _The Green Controller_. But I liked that episode. Back to this one...I'm at my wit's end! This is a terrible episode from start to finish and I'd rather watch season 4 where Sir Handel was a total brat and maybe even a bit of a smart aleck then this. I thought he was supposed to mature nowadays but no. He's just completely stupid, stupid! STUPID! here! And it's so f*cking repetitive from the writers and tiresome from the narrators, no offense to them, but this episode is a crying shame and I'd only bother watching it if I wanted to look at how nice the sets were or maybe just to watch the whole series in order and remember how terrible some of the episodes are. I give a **2.3/10** at it's best. Worst piece of sh*t that I've seen since _Thomas' Frosty Friend_.

**23\. Cool Truckings**

Now here's a good one. Best episode of _Engines And Escapades_. I do like Madge and Duncan's a good character for her to star with. Too bad she hasn't struck any interest among writers, maybe yet. This was nicely filmed and had some good laughs like the part with the policeman. A good watch and so I give it a **7.8/10**.

**24\. Ding-A-Ling**

Ooh…this was a lesser achievement. Sure Freddie's cool and okay for the spotlight but the script was repetitive despite the realism part of having a bicycle bell. Despite major quibbles here and there, it's not all that bad and so I give it a **5.4/10**.

**25\. Skarloey Storms Through**

Well now, have I been looking forward to reviewing this episode. Aww, this episode is so cute and I just love it. It's easily up to par with _Gordon And The Engineer_. Wait, what? Did I just say that right? Nah, I was just smoking a joint or two when I was doing this episode and I took a short break from reviewing it after typing those words written below the title. Well, you wanna know why? Because, this episode is worth reviewing! In a bad way! It was nearly as bad as _Thomas' __Frosty Friend_. Skarloey is so out of character by this point. HIT, what in the name of Sodor have you done to him? The Reverend W. Awdry would be so ashamed of you! WAIT! THIS PIECE OF SH*T WOULDN'T EXIST IF HE WERE ALIVE! Now, enough said, this episode is terrible and the worst watch I've got this season. There were some nice visuals but that's it for pros. I give this a **2.2/10** at it's best.

**26\. Wash Behind Your Buffers**

For a closer, this was quite nice. Madge gets another lead role not so long after her debut. It's just a bit of a shame she's not used by writer's in the present day. It's nice to Skarloey and Rheneas looking so clean, even if it didn't last long, haha. Not much more, it's a good watch and that's why I give it an **7.4/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, the eleventh season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ was an okay season. I mean, while not up to par with season 10, it did have an unusual blend of good and bad episodes around each corner but some episodes showed HIT has done some research on railways. Some episodes just prove how lazy they are at the writing helms and sometimes, at the helms of railway realism. The three strikes method is now painfully too obvious for audiences to connect with. I used to enjoy this season back in my preteen years, even if today, some of those episodes are just my misfortune in the present day. I have no idea why the UK never got one of the 20 televised episodes on DVD until the Complete Eleventh Season or in the US where seasons 10 and 11 rarely made their up on DVD shelves. That's one thing I'll never get. Maybe just a lack of money to make the DVDs.

The music was, again, good. Robert Hartshorne did good but it's disappointing that Ed Welch only arranged one song _The Narrow Gauge Engines_ and that was a good song, probably the highlight of _Engines And Escapades_ and it makes the DVD release very memorable. The sets were beautiful as always and I know that some of you guys aren't too keen on the high definition cameras but I think they're not much different as the contrast presented from season 6-10 and the models, again, look amazing. Especially out of the new characters. Speaking of characters, it was sad to Elizabeth in her last few appearances. Hopefully she turns up soon with Andrew Brenner at the writing helm. Donald and Douglas are definitely on the top of my likely characters list for season 18 but Elizabeth is somewhere not so far behind.

At the narrating front, Michael Angelis stayed on board and it was a pleasure too since he did the job with much more enthusiasm despite the bad writing if you ask me. Michael Brandon, on the other hand, is just the same. No better, no worse. Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **6.4****/10**.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. Gordon And The Mechanic/Gordon And The Engineer

2\. Hector The Horrid

3\. Thomas And The Stinky Cheese

4\. Dream On

5\. Thomas And The Runaway Car

6\. Thomas And The Storyteller

7\. Dirty Work

8\. Hide And Peep

9\. Thomas In Trouble

10\. Percy And The Left Luggage

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Skarloey Storms Through

2\. Sir Handel In Charge

3\. Thomas And The Big Bang

4\. Don't Be Silly, Billy

5\. Smokes And Mirrors

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	15. The Great Discovery (2008)

A year has passed since the eleventh season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ premiered on televisio. This would bring many changes to the series. The models would become out of use, but not before HIT Entertainment's second full-length DVD special _The Great Discovery_, preceded three years after _Calling All Engines_ andfollowed by season 12 in the autumn of 2008. Was the movie another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Plot**

The plot for the movie was good. It had a great theme on restoration and Great Waterton made a great impact as a new location. In terms of the main plot where Thomas is jealous of Stanley and wants to show everyone that he's better than him, he's back to his cheeky self but unlike some of you guys, I don't think this is something you'd want to see out of the little blue engine. He has more heart than to prove that he's better than someone who never did anything wrong to him in the first place. With the majority of all the Thomas movies being based on Thomas himself, HIT probably could have given the spotlight this time to a more vain engine who's full of his own self-importance like Gordon or James for instance. They get good episodes in the HIT series so having either one of them in the spotlight would still make this movie. You'd still feel sorry for either one of them then you'd do for Thomas as everyone seemed to like him better than Stanley but becoming friends with Stanley would win the engines over for Thomas again, don't you think? Other then that, the plot has a great impact on what the moral is: to accept others, even if I feel that the spotlight was given to the wrong character. Overall, I'll give this category an **8****/10**.

**2\. Character Development**

The character development for this movie was good, except for one thing I didn't like and, yes, that was Thomas' attitude towards Stanley. Speaking of Stanley, he's awesome and strikes plenty of interest in the following season but seems to only strike interest only among animators in the present day. I hope that changes one day. It had a great range of characters like the Pack and the narrow gauge engines and it was nice to see them all there, even if the majority of them were in cameos. I'll give an **8****/10** for this category.

**3\. Narration**

The narration for this movie was pretty good. I missed Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon by this point, but Pierce Brosnan did the job at his best with plenty of enthusiasm, even if he could have worked more on the characters' individual voices. Ah, well, Ringo Starr didn't do a lot of that either, just emotion, and he become my favorite narrator. On the whole, I give this category an **7****/10**.

**4\. Visuals**

There were some good visuals for this movie, but there was some unrealism like when Thomas went through the mine and over the mountain. I just don't know how to explain but there are just some other visual errors that I can't explain. Maybe a lack of break vans, I don't know. I give this category a **9****/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

Again, I don't mind Robert Hartshorne's tunes and he did a good job for the score in this movie. Ed Welch, on the other hand, did a great job with arranging the songs for the movie and I like how the Engine Roll Call to add Stanley. I love the song Thomas, You're The Leader and it's my favorite song written for a Thomas movie at that point. It's an **9****/10** for this category.

**6\. Length**

This movie had good pacing to it but could have been faster. Good thing is that this time, there were no learning segments this time and that's a good thing. I'm giving this category an **8****/10**.

**7\. Writing**

The script for this movie was better pretty good for a movie with Sharon Miller at the writing helm, especially with a great term like _restoration_. However, I didn't like the rhythm near the end. It was not needed and the script wouldn't have been harmed without it. This category gets a **7****/10**.

**8\. Direction**

Steve Asquith works as a much better movie director than Britt Allcroft. The sets are great, especially Great Waterton and I really love Stanley's basis. Not much more to say, I'm giving this category an **8****/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, this movie was better than _Calling All Engines_ and it was a great farewell to the model work that was in motion since the start of the show in 1984. Pierce Brosnan's a good narrator and as much as I would have liked to see him carry on for a few season of Thomas like originally planned, I prefer that it stayed the way it was instead with both narrators. You'll find out why in my next reviews. Not much more said, I think this movie gets an accurate rating of **8****/10**.

WHAT'S YOUR RATING?


	16. Season 12 (2008)

Following the mixed to average reception of the eleventh season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_, the twelfth season aired a year later in the autumn of 2008, coinciding with the commercial success of _The Great Discovery_. The writing team continued writing for the series with Sharon Miller this at the helm as a lead writer. This changed and ended a few things for the show like the previous season did. For one thing, the episodes were filmed with a mix of high definition cameras and CGI animation before big changes took place a year later. Robert Hartshorne continued with the score for the episode while in terms of narration, to everyone's surprise, Michael Angelis stayed on board for the UK and Michael Brandon continued in the US. This meant that Pierce Brosnan, originally contracted to be on board for three seasons, was just a guest narrator for _The Great Discovery_. Was season 12 of _Thomas &amp; Friends_any improvement over season 11? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Thomas And The Billboard**

Hmm, I quite liked this one for a starter. It has a pretty good concept of keeping a Sodor railway engine poster, but again there are faults. How on earth could a train station have a birthday? Honestly, Sharon, maybe an anniversary would've been a better term. I don't really blame Thomas much for trying to leave Diesel the odd one out but the ways in which he did these things involved the three strikes and had nothing to do with his true character. Plus, why is Diesel even part of the poster? The poster would probably just have the Steam Team but if Diesel was there, where were the rest of The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt's engines? Despite the faults, it's a good watch and the narrators seem to still keep touch with the voices. I give this episode a **7.8/10**.

**2\. Steady Eddie**

For a way to continue the season, this was okay. Would have gone off much better with Thomas or James or maybe even Oliver because Edward is a little out of character. But compared to his characterization in S9-10, his character is not all that bad. It was nice seeing Oliver and Arthur, but it was only for a few seconds and that gives them nothing to do with the episode. Their comebacks don't make this episode great and the writing is repetitive. Despite it's faults, it's on par with the last episode from season 11 with Edward in the spotlight and so I give it a **6.9/10** at it's best.

**3\. Rosie's Funfair Special/Rosie's Carnival Special**

Nice episode. I really like it. Emily and Rosie are in the forefront and they make great chemistry together onscreen. It's good to see two female characters in the lead role. Maybe it should shut up the journalists who keep b*tching about sexism. It was nice seeing Stepney again but what the hell was he doing there? Maybe The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt invited to the carnival. And there's a three strikes and repetitiveness throughout. Jesus christ, it's so obvious now with Sharon at the lead writing helm. Enough about that. It's to see a little character development out of Rosie and her impatience here feels just like Thomas in season 1. Speaking of Thomas, he was to be seen! Yay! Finally! On the whole, I give it an **8.1/10**.

**4\. Mountain Marvel**

Another good episode. A better episode with the narrow gauge engines taking the lead. I like how Proteus wasn't forgotten about but a break van could have been added to the statue flatbed. While quite repetitive with the way it was written, it was still enjoyable compared to numerous narrow gauge episode from S9-11. I give it another **8/10**.

**5\. Henry Gets It Wrong**

Well, well, well, another good episode. Ha! Just kidding! Got ya, didn't I? Where would HIT go into producing a season without having it's bad episodes? Watch this and find out for yourself. It's very much a rewrite of _Henry And The Flagpole_ and I wasn't really a fan of that episode either. Henry is stupid enough to think that the workmen would cut down the Sodor wishing tree. It's such a shame Henry never gets good episodes in the HIT series. It was nice seeing Harold in CGI though with all the hard work done from the modeling. Despite that, this was just boring and repetitive and the narrators did nothing to help that. I give it a **3/10** at its best.

**6\. Heave Ho Thomas!**

Now here's a better episode. Best one yet of the season. Hank's a cool character, even if he hasn't struck any interest among writers or animators in the present day. I like the accent that both of the narrators give him and his basis is really interesting. However, like many HIT episodes, there were many faults. As much as Thomas didn't like being called little, he should have known that Hank was strong enough to help him out with his work. Plus there was a three strikes as well. I think I'll give this one an **7.9/10**.

**7\. Toby's Special Surprise**

Meh, this one could've been better. Good concept in finding something but HIT had any knowledge or faithfulness to the classic series, _Toby's Discovery_ could have been referenced here but it wasn't while events in the HIT series were. The plate that Toby found looked too much like Toby himself and the writing, as always, was quite clunky. Aside from that, it was nice seeing Whiff being treated more like a recurring character instead of a one-off but his appearance can't help the episode feel better than it is. I give this a **6.8/10**. It had a good concept but there was plenty of room for improvement.

**8\. Excellent Emily**

Now this is a better episode. Great plot idea with a great moral about listening to advice but it did get very repetitive. Murdoch played a very interesting role and so did Duck and Trevor, even if they had much to do with the three strikes method. Despite it's flaws, I think Emily was a perfect choice of character and her attitude shows that she is maturing and ready to revert back to her season 7 persona. I give this an **8/10**.

**9\. The Party Surprise**

I was half and half for this one. But HIT, enough with the winter holiday bullish*t! It's not hard to say Christmas. Other than that, Freddie was an okay character and Colin, despite being another pointless one-off, has some potential if the wharf were to return in full CGI. This episode was kinda boring but it shows Freddie's true character and is okay for a send-off to him, at least until Andrew Brenner would interest in bringing him back. I give this episode a **5.9/10**.

**10\. Saved You!**

I feel that this one was about the same. Thomas was kinda acting like an idiot but at least he was trying to aim for something unlike episodes from previous seasons where he acted really stupid. And why the hell would a fireman get a medal for saving a cat? Seriously, Sharon! Come to your senses! Despite major flaws, I give this episode another **6/10**.

**11\. Duncan And The Hot Air Balloon**

A bit of a step down here. Not much to say about it, just that it was your typical three striker. I give it a **5.5/10**.

**12\. James Works It Out**

Now here's a much better episode. HIT gives James good episodes, like I said before and it's nice that Hector gets a major role. His characterization here transcends over the three strikes formula which doesn't seem too bad thanks to a great plot concept and James is pretty much in character thinking he knows everything. I think I'll give this episode an **8.6/10**.

**13\. Tram Trouble**

A great episode we had and now we have a one that's not so good. Flora's just another pointless one-off and I don't even know if she's gonna be back in full CGI. It's also annoying how repetitive the three strikes method and the rhyming gets. I give this episode a **4.4/10**.

**14\. Don't Go Back**

Well, well, well, haven't I been looking forward to reviewing this episode. Wanna know why? You really wanna know why? Because it's a firm favorite of mine. Thomas and Diesel are both in character and this episode wasn't so unrealistic as compared to what came about three years later. Wait, did I say that right? WRONG! TOTALLY WRONG! JUST LIKE THIS EPISODE! It's so unrealistic and so incredibly bad that I don't know the f*ck Sharon was thinking! Three strikes as well. Ugh, why do we get episodes like this? It seems so much like the season 15 episode _Wonky Whistle_ but this one's not as bad. Still bad of course. I'm gonna give this episode a **2.4/10** at it's best because it was that bad.

**15\. Gordon Takes A Shortcut**

Hmm, a Gordon episode? Did this happen to HIT success with the big blue engine? Meh, I thought it was alright. Oliver and Toad make an interesting comeback on screen but they don't make the episode great compared to it's three strike method. Other than that, Gordon's pretty much in character and that's enough for me. It was quite average despite previous episodes that HIT had given so I think that this deserves a **6.6/10**.

**16\. The Man In The Hills**

Good concept here but not a very good script. The idea of Mr. Percival's seems a fresh change for a party episode rather than having a typical children's party. It was a two striker compared to numerous three striker episodes that have been aired throughout the entire season. Despite its flaws, it's a half and half episode for me and that's why I give it a **4.8/10**.

**17\. Thomas Puts The Brakes On**

I quite liked this episode. Stanley plays quite a significant role but again, like the rest of the season, it was repetitive and Thomas should have thought more about his actions. Other than that, it's a good plot idea, just an average way of putting it together and I think this one deserves a **6.9/10**.

**18\. Percy And The Bandstand**

Better episode. Percy's pretty good for the lead role but I think should have thought of something better than a _do as I say_ whistle. It was nice seeing Lady Hatt being given a lead role and it was also nice to see The Pack back in action. Pretty good episode and not all that boring in spite of the three striker so I think it deserves an **8.3/10**.

**19\. Push Me, Pull You!**

Yep, worst episode of the season and probably the worst episode up to this point. Come on, HIT! A puppet show? Really? That's your state of originality? And plus, you should know Skarloey better! I mean, the Awdry family would be ashamed of you! Not only is this a three striker but again RHENEAS AND SKARLOEY ARE ACTING LIKE CHILDREN! THEY'RE OVER 100 YEARS OLD! TAKE YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR ASSES AND REALIZE THAT! So bad, nearly as bad as Wonky Whistle, and that's why it's a **2/10** for me at it's best.

**20\. Best Friends**

Like the old saying goes, save the best for last. After the sh*ttiest episode of the whole season, finally, we have this. Yeah, I mean, sure it was a three striker but it was nice to see Duck and Neville for the last time, at least one of them for quite a while now. They don't make this episode great. The story does. I don't see why The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt would agree to Thomas' random idea of Percy taking the mail but that just shows the laziness out of HIT and Sharon back in the day. Other than that, I really enjoyed it and that's why I give it an **9/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, the twelfth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ was an okay season and up to par with season 11, no better, no worse. It had good episodes like _James Works It Out_ and _Best Friends_, which ended the model era with a bang but like the last three seasons, it had it's share of bad episodes like _Henry Gets It Wrong_ and _Don't Go Back_ and even _Push Me, Pull You!_ To my surprise, both Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon returned to the job, seeming with more enthusiasm in spite of a few downgraded episodes. I have no idea whether or not Pierce Brosnan could have kept up the same momentum. I was also surprised that season 12 was more focused on DVD release in the US more than season 10 and 11. Maybe HIT had the money to make it and decided to bring the latest season to DVD and take their time with making more money for season 10 and 11 DVDs.

The new characters had no point in being introduced because they're all just one-offs. It's a shame too since the basis for them were nice. The music was, again, good. Robert Hartshorne did good but it's disappointing that Ed Welch had no song material. Only the season 12 roll call. The sets were, again, beautiful and I liked the blend of modeling and CGI animation. The team at Shepperon Studios ended their work over the past 24 years on a high note and the next year would bring major changes for the series. Overall, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **6.4****/10**.

**Top 5 Episodes:**

1\. Best Friends

2\. James Works It Out

3\. Percy And The Bandstand

4\. Rosie's Funfair Special/Rosie's Carnival Special

5\. Mountain Marvel

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Push Me, Pull You!

2\. Don't Go Back

3\. Henry Gets It Wrong

4\. Tram Trouble

5\. The Man In The Hills

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	17. Hero Of The Rails (2009)

2009 marked the 25th anniversary of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ and it was during this time that Shepperton Studios and Steve Asquith had ended their participation with the franchise, allowing Greg Tiernan to become director and Nitrogen Studios to provide visuals. As a result, the models that were used for about 24 years had slightly transitioned into CGI and it was by this time that the show got hold of a full CGI environment. Robert Hartshorne continued with the score with Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon continued in the UK and the US respectively, this time joined by a voice cast for all the characters. Was _Hero Of The Rails_ another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Plot**

The plot for the movie was great. The saved from scrap theme was not used for a while now maybe since season 5. It's also nice to have a plot that focuses primarily on the Steam Team instead having a variety of background characters, something that the last two movies maintained. Overall, I'll give this category a **8****/10**.

**2\. Character Development**

The character development for this movie was very good. It seems that the Steam Team are all in character, though it's a shame that Toby only said one line at the beginning. Hiro's a very interesting character, even if it's weird how he is considered to be the first engine on Sodor because that's a continuity error as Edward helped to build the railway. I love how Spencer is portrayed as an antagonist towards _The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt's_ engines, something that was maintained since the start of the New Series. I also feel that Thomas would have had time to help Percy find the mail cars but without that, would there be a good story? I really don't know. I'll give an **8****/10** for this category because I really like how the characters were handled.

**3\. Narration/Voices**

The narration for this movie was good. Both narrators did a very good job and sounded much more enthusiastic with the help of the voice cast. As for the voice cast, all the voice actors did spot on with how they voiced the characters. However, as a US citizen who watches the show, I prefer the US voices by a long shot, especially Victor. On the whole, I give this category an **9****/10**.

**4\. Visuals**

The animation for this movie was very good and a great way to start with Nitrogen's visuals. However, there were some visual nitpicks that I can't really explain about what Nitrogen faulted here. They just did a really good job, that's all. I give this category a **9****/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

I really liked the score for this movie. Robert Hartshorne seems more enthusiastic then he did in S8-12 and he knows how to keep a steady beat to the music. On the other hand, a lot of you guys are quite fond of _Go Go Thomas_ and I liked it too but it wasn't the best song done by Sam Blewitt. It's an **8****/10** for this category.

**6\. Length**

This movie had a very steady pace to it. There's plenty of action throughout and I don't know if there is much more to say. I'm giving this category an **8.5****/10**.

**7\. Writing**

For Sharon Miller's second movie, I have to say, her script here is slightly better than _The Great Discovery_. While the aforementioned previous movie had that pointless rhythm at the end, this movie had a small deal of alliteration like how Spencer refers to Thomas as a _tiny toy tank engine_ and how the engines describe Spencer at the beginning. Overall, this category gets a **7.5/10**.

**8\. Direction**

Greg Tiernan works as a much better director than Steve Asquith. He did very well with handling the shots of this movie and the scenery was just beautiful. Not much more to say, I'm giving this category an **8****/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, this movie was a good step-up to the previous two movies and was the best Thomas movie yet. While the writing had that typical Sharon Miller feel, we have to deal with the fact that this is one of her better individual scripts and it shows how much harder she worked on this script than the one for the movie's successor: _Misty Island Rescue_. The movie itself was beautifully filmed and started off the CGI era with a bang. It really kept my hopes up for the thirteenth season and onwards. Unfortunately, those hopes were bought down by the outcome of S13-16. I really like how the use of a voice cast was added because the voice actors all do a good job and this special introduces three characters that strike interest among writers in the present day: Hiro, Victor and Kevin. Overall, I think this movie gets an accurate rating of **8.3****/10**.

WHAT'S YOUR RATING?


	18. Season 13 (2010)

(Finally, after being so busy with school work and other things, I have finally completed the review for Series 13 of _Thomas &amp; Friends_. May I warn you guys that it may be a bit rushed but I hope I can convince you well enough on what my thoughts are for these stories. Enjoy)

About a year and a half has passed since the twelfth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ aired on television. This would end many things for the show, numerous changes bought next year, starting with _Hero Of The Rails_ in the autumn of 2009. The thirteenth season followed in the winter of 2010, continuing from the visual splendor that _Hero Of The Rails_ had to offer. Sharon Miller maintained her role as head writer while Robert Hartshorne continued with the score. Michael Angelis stayed on board in the UK while Michael Brandon continued in the US, accompanied by a voice cast. For the first season to be animated by Nitrogen Studios, was the thirteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ another success? If you wanna know my answer to this, read and find out...

**1\. Creaky Cranky**

And so we come to the first episode to be animated by Nitrogen Studios. It was pretty average for a start. It was nice to see Cranky in full CGI, taken his absence in _Hero Of The Rails_but as much as I like the rivalry between Thomas and Cranky, I don't like much how the two lead characters were handled. This continued to show signs of Thomas' stupidity and in real life, I don't think that Cranky's operator would never allow him to lift Thomas the way he did. It was just filled with flaws, badly written, repetitive but it had some good animation to it and _The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt_ referring to Thomas as a bird was kinda funny. I give this a **5.4/10** at it's best.

**2\. The Lion Of Sodor**

Ugh, two episodes in and we already have bad one. This episode was bad on so many levels. Thomas is, again, stupid and this is just predictable and repetitive. Why the hell would a lion eat syrup, straw and chestnuts? WTF, Thomas! This is just a piece of sh*t in terms of writing and again, a typical three striker. At least Edward and Toby showed a little common sense in trying to explain the Lion Of Sodor to Thomas but he was just too stupid to listen and so was his driver. I give it a **2.9/10** at it's best. It had some good music and great narration to it, especially the statue. Just bought down by the bad storytelling, that's all.

**3\. Tickled Pink**

Now this is better. I can always count on HIT to give us a James episode that will make me smile. Plus, like an Andrew Brenner-written episode, this was loosely based off a Railway Series story. This one was loosely based off the Railway Series story _Henry Sees Red_ from _Henry And The Express_ and the voice for Diesel in both narrations sounds great. There were a few nitpicks though. For example, it was another three striker and Toby was slightly out of character, but that was just a little mistake compared to his persona in later seasons so I can forgive it like I did for Edward in season 6. It's a fun watch and not much more to say, I give this an **8/10**.

**4\. Double Trouble**

Another good episode and probably on par with the previous one. I really liked the idea of _The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt_ having a brother. But again, there were some unrealism with the signals and all and characterization. Thomas should have asked Lowham how he was feeling before but without it, there would be no story, right? Not much more said, I give this one another **8/10**.

**5\. Slippy Sodor**

Two steps down, one big step down. Worst episode of the season yet. It's your typical three striker and Thomas is just completely stupid, AGAIN! The way the bubble liquid was transported was very unrealistic and once again, Edward was out of character. While it was not as bad as S9-10 where his character was handled at the worst, this one I can't forgive like I did for season 6. HIT should know from the complaints they've gotten from fans what Edward's true personality is. You know what's worse, seasons 6 and 10 showed how Edward redeemed himself to be back to his old self but this one didn't show anything. As bad as the episode, I give it a **2.5/10**.

**6\. The Early Bird**

Hmm, this was better and not bad in the least but not great either. Thomas pulled the mail train before; he should have known what to do and but without the way he was characterized, there would be no story, I think. Maybe this story could instead focus on Thomas not pulling the mail train in a long time but no, this episode shows how unfaithful HIT had been to the classic series back in the day. Despite it's faults, Thomas taking the mail bought back memories of _Thomas, Percy And The Mail Train_. I just have a good feeling and it has a great moral on taking others into consideration. On the whole, it's a **6.9/10** for me.

**7\. Play Time**

I was half and half for this one. Charlie's a nice character and unlike most characters that have been created by HIT in the past, he actually plenty of interest among writers as the show went on and is not just there for the merchandising but for the show as well. However, his character needs lots of improvement and Thomas should be doing his work instead of fooling around like the way he did. But it was nice seeing Alicia Botti getting a major appearance. Not much more said, I like this episode regardless of it's flaws and that's why I give it a **5.6/10**.

**8\. Thomas And The Pigs**

This episode was a step-down. Surely not all that bad. Yes, it's your typical three-striker and Thomas was stupid. But the animation was beautiful, especially for the pigs, and I really liked the music. Despite major flaws, this episode was overall average and that's why I give a **4.5/10**.

**9\. Time For A Story**

This one was an improvement, despite major flaws. The way the books were transported was unrealistic but they were going to be covered up. Thomas was just too stupid to wait for it. But I liked the idea of a picnic story time at the end, despite the mediocre "storyTELLING." I liked this episode and that's why I give it a **5.8/10**.

**10\. Percy's Parcel**

Meh, this one wasn't bad but I was half and half for it. At least Thomas is not the lead character and the role was instead given to Percy. This element was a refreshing change. But the characterization was very generic. Percy should have known to do what he did with the package but the ending was funny, from Dowager's reaction towards Topham from the present. I give this episode a **5/10**.

**11\. Toby's New Whistle**

Good concept of a three chime whistle here, just a shame that it was used with the wrong character. Toby is very out of character here. Why did HIT even make him out to nervous. This episode would have probably gone off better with an engine like Henry or Percy in the lead role. Not a very good episode, I don't think I have much more to say and that's why I give it a **4.5/10**.

**12\. A Blooming Mess**

Now this is better and probably my favorite episode of the season. This is the way in which Emily's character should be handled, not a total b*tch like she was in season 8. Younger female audiences may learn from her characterization here, even if there is a three strikes method and even if there are a few faults with the animation here and there. I still enjoy it and that's why I give an **8.4/10**.

**13\. Thomas And The Runaway Kite**

We've had a great episode and now another bad one. It was nice to see Charlie in a major role though. It shows that HIT is really learning how to introduce characters not only for the merchandising but for the show as well. But, it's a typical three-striker and for a Thomas episode, he showed a great sign of stupidity. It's a **3.8/10** for me. I like the animation for the kite but the storyline, was again, bad.

**14\. Steamy Sodor**

Considered to be the best episode of the season, I don't really agree much but it's almost up to par with _A Blooming Mess_. What was Spencer doing on Sodor? I bet Andrew Brenner would have given an explanation to that. Where was Thomas' crew to guide him along with looking after the SteamWorks? Why didn't Thomas want help from Kevin when he co-runs the SteamWorks with Victor? Despite all that, I still really like the episode. It's nice how the majority takes at the SteamWorks. I give it an **8.3/10**.

**15\. Splish, Splash, Splosh!**

Ugh, disgraceful; disgusting; despicable! We've had one of the best episodes of the season and now we have one of the worst. This is, by far, the sh*ttiest episode of the season. The three strikes formula is annoying and Thomas is stupid enough to splash puddles into everyone. Something that you'd expect out of Charlie who could maybe still be learning the ways of the railway. But this is just so bad and so boring that I almost turned my head away from it the first time I watched it. It was nice seeing Rosie speak though and her appearance is quite a charm, even when she rarely speaks in later seasons. Other than that, this episode is bad and I only give it points for the animation, so it's a **2.4/10** for me.

**16\. The Biggest Present Of All**

Now this is a much better episode. Hiro makes a comeback and becomes a permanent resident on Sodor and the music in this episode is just beautiful, probably my favorite score of the series. The plot idea of Thomas finding a welcome home present was good but it was used in a wrong way, just bought down by the three strikes method where he messes up three times and then attempts to fix everything. Despite a few flaws here and there, it's still an enjoyable episode and that's why I give it a **6.8/10**.

**17\. Snow Tracks**

This was another good episode. Not as strong as some Gordon episodes that had been produced by HIT but it was certainly on par with the previous episodes. The shots at the beginning and the music are both beautiful and very heartwarming. But again, there were faults in a few places. Three strikes method, plus there is plenty of unrealism about which track Gordon goes on and the part with the giant snowball was also very unrealistic. Thomas should've gotten snowed under instead of lifted by the snow. Good plot idea, just unrealistic, that's all. Overall, I think this episode deserves another **7.3/10**.

**18\. Henry's Good Deeds**

Aw, man. What a shame. Henry never gets good episodes in the HIT series and this is no exception. It seems that HIT always screws up when it comes to writing episodes about animals. Plus, Henry's character made him so stupid in this episode. I know he was trying to help, but still, Henry should have known what the Warbler's reaction would be to engines and why was it scared in the first place? How could Percy not know what a nesting pole is? Those are flaws that bought this episode down from being good along with the typical three striker and mediocre writing. It's certainly not a terrible episode but not good either. I give it a **4.5/10** at it's best.

**19\. Buzzy Bees**

This episode, if anything, is a rewrite of _Buzz, Buzz/James Goes Buzz, Buzz_, just with Thomas' stupidity bought into the mix. The rhyming and alliteration is so annoying and Thomas didn't ask for permission for taking the bees from the farmer. The way the bees were transported was unrealistic since their hives wouldn't locked and there is no consequence for Thomas' actions. His driver wasn't there to stop him either. However, the bees were animated nicely and it was nice seeing that Hiro is still striking interest among writers. It's the worst episode of the season if you ask mw. At it's best, I give this episode a **2.4/10**.

**20\. Hiro Helps Out**

Final episode of the season and it was pretty mediocre for an ending to such a drab season. It was just lazily written and Hiro should know better than to do the things that he did. He should have gotten from the other engines, especially Edward, on not bothering _The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt_. There wouldn't be a story without that, right? An interesting title which could have turned out to be a great plot concept but it wasn't and it was badly written. The writers made the same mistake with Hiro like they made with Edward and Toby. Instead of being an old engine, he was "Master Of The Muddle" from the start and getting him involved in the three strikes and you're out is just a disgrace to HIT's most interesting character by far. I felt that Edward was a bit in character though as compared to _Slippy Sodor_ and I do find it funny how Hiro looks at _The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt_ without his top hat. Despite it's flaws, I was half and half for it and that's why I think it deserves a **4.8/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, the thirteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ was a huge step-down to the show that we all loved from the start. Hiring Sharon Miller as head writer was a big mistake that HIT made so, please, don't blame all the weaknesses that this season has to offer on Britt Allcroft. She has written much better episodes than this, she just made wrong choices. That's all. The animation was really good but it got better, come season 14-16. The narrators sounded a bit better from the support they had from the voice cast and Robert Hartshorne sounds livelier than ever with his music.

Back to the season itself, the majority of it was badly written, save for episodes like _Tickled Pink_ and _Double Trouble_ and _Steamy Sodor_ and _A Blooming Mess_. But there were so many episodes I didn't like, like _The Lion Of Sodor_ and _Buzzy Bees_ and even _Slippy Sodor_ and _Splish, Splash, Splosh!_ When I first heard that this season was going to start showing in select US theaters and I saw the trailer for it, I was really excited for it and it looked almost as close to what an Andrew Brenner episode would look like. But when I started reading the plot synopsis for each episode, I became less and less excited until I saw the real product. I got so bored of seeing the three strikes method over and over and over again that it took me time to finish this season. People say that season 15 is the worst Thomas season ever, and as much as I agree, if you ask me, this season is not much better, is it? It's on the same storytelling front but the aforementioned season is more unrealistic, that's all.

On to the characters for this season, I was disappointed, once again, to see so many characters disappear, but it's nice to expand upon Hiro, Victor and Kevin and Charlie, despite having a weak personality of going around and telling jokes all the time, is not as contemptible as a lot of fans say he is in my opinion. The rest of the characters I don't have much to say about, except for the fact that Thomas has dumbed down to the extreme from having so much time in the spotlight. What a shame for the show's titular character. Overall, as mediocre as it is, I think this season deserves an accurate rating of **5.4****/10**.

**Top 5 Episodes:**

1\. A Blooming Mess

2\. Steamy Sodor

3\. Tickled Pink

4\. Double Trouble

5\. Snow Tracks

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Buzzy Bees

2\. Slippy Sodor

3\. Splish, Splash, Splosh!

4\. The Lion Of Sodor

5\. Thomas And The Runaway Kite

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	19. Misty Island Rescue (2010)

2010 marked the 65th anniversary of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ and following a year after _Hero Of The Rails_ and eight to nine months after the thirteenth season, Nitrogen Studios' second feature-length special _Misty Island Rescue_ was released, hitting DVD and Blu-Ray shelves, marking the first Blu-Ray Thomas release ever. Nitrogen Studios continued with the animation. Robert Hartshorne continued with the score while Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon continued in the UK and the US respectively. Three characters, Salty, Harold and Whiff made a comeback and a few new characters were introduced. Was _Misty Island Rescue_ another success? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Plot**

The plot concept for the movie was pretty good, only, it was stated that Thomas leaves Sodor for the first time when he has left Sodor about three times before if you count the RWS but that just shows how lazy HIT was back in the day. I don't see the point of centering the movie around 1960 since the basis of Salty and Emily were never built back then. The cliffhanger at the end with Diesel 10 was cool and it leaves fans excited for next year's _Day Of The Diesels_. I give this category a **7****/10**.

**2\. Character Development**

The character development for this movie was quite average as compared as to it's predecessor _Hero Of The Rails_. I'm not hating on the Logging Locos but they could have been developed more and so could Captain who seemed like another merchandising character. It seems that Misty Island isn't really much without people working together. In fact, it's quite dangerous. It was nice though seeing Edward stating that he might have seen Misty Island a long time ago and I like how Salty, Harold and Whiff were bought back to the series with a purpose for being there. It's also hard to believe how Thomas would have been allowed to be tied to back to the ship to the mainland, but would the story have been built up without it? In Sharon Miller's case, probably not, but if it were for Andrew Brenner, another ship to the mainland carrying could have been lost at sea and ended up on Misty Island. And where were the drivers during this movie? We saw some good characterization out of _The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt_ who shows that he actually cares about his engines. I think I'll give this category a **5.5/10**.

**3\. Narration/Voices**

The narration for this movie was alright. Michael Brandon sounded good but Michael Angelis sounded quite bored and the fact that the narrators and the voice cast would just keep on following the repetitive script makes it even more tiresome. Plus, the voices for the Logging Locos sounded quite annoying to be honest but the new voiceover work for the returning characters was a nice touch. On the whole, I give this category an **6****/10**.

**4\. Visuals**

The animation for this movie was just as good as _Hero Of The Rails_ and the thirteenth season, if not, better than that. A few things I didn't like about it and I think you'd guess this: the location of Misty Island; the shake shake bridge; Hee Haw; Ol' Wheezy; it's all dangerous. Despite all that, the Sodor Search And Rescue Center seems like an interesting location and the basis for the Logging Locos was very nice, but still, brake vans should have been added to the engines' trains, especially the jobi wood. I give this category a **7****/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

I really liked the score for this movie. Robert Hartshorne did no better, no worse. On the other hand, _Misty Island Rescue_ may seem quite repetitive but very catchy. It's an **9****/10** for this category.

**6\. Length**

This movie had a good pace to it. Like _Hero Of The Rails, _there's plenty of action but just bought down how the script which I'll talk about the next category. I give this category a **7****/10**.

**7\. Writing**

For Sharon Miller's third movie, I have to say, the script was a much lesser achievement than the last two specials she wrote. The rhyming and alliteration gets very repetitive and annoying after a while and so does Ferdinand's constant "That's right." However, there were some advantages to it and it was better than the script for _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_. In some stages, it helps the plot move steadily along to where Thomas and the Logging Locos get stuck in the Misty Island Tunnel and _The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt_ bringing a search party onto Misty Island. Not much more to say, this category gets a **4.5****/10**.

**8\. Direction**

Greg Tiernan continues to prove that he is a good director with how he handles the shots with the animation and the scenery was still beautiful, just the shots for the Misty Island location bringing in the unrealism of this category, that's all. Not much more to say, I'm giving this category an **8****/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, this movie was a step down from the movies over the past few years, making it the worst one since _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_, though it's far better than that movie. It was nice seeing a few characters come back and the plot, despite the bad writing, seemed very compelling. The Sodor Search And Rescue Center and the jobi wood are new additions to the series that served a purpose to the story. However, the new characters could've had a bit more development, especially Captain who has become severely underused in the present day. Despite the flaws presented, I still like this movie and I give it an accurate rating of **6.****8****/10**. It was a bit disappointing, but I didn't have much hopes up for it anyway.

WHAT'S YOUR RATING?


	20. Season 14 (2010)

2010 marked the 65th anniversary of _Thomas &amp; Friends_, and after mixed to negative reception of the thirteenth season and the lukewarm reception of Misty Island Rescue, the fourteenth season followed in the autumn of 2010 and about everything was the same. Sharon Miller was still head-writer and Nitrogen Studios continued animating. Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon stayed on board for the UK and US respectively while Robert Hartshorne continued with the score for the episode. This would mark the first year where two seasons aired. Was the fourteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ any improvement over season 13? If you wanna know my answer to this, read and find out...

**1\. Thomas' Tall Friend**

Ugh, it's like the start of the season and already we have a bad episode? Oh my god. Never trust HIT when it comes to an episode about animals and this is no exception. I mean, the animation was nice and a good step up from the previous season, especially with the giraffe, but the writing had just got worse so far and so had the character development. First, it's Thomas that is stupid not to wait for the giraffe keeper and now it's Percy and Edward? Well, I never! I give this episode a **2.9/10** at it's best. Good animation, horrible writing and a weak plot idea.

**2\. James In The Dark**

Hmm, this was better. A pretty good concept about using headlamps in the dark and what I really liked about it was that it took place at night. We should have more episodes like that. Thought it had a bit of a thin script for a James episode, it's nice to see that HIT has still stuck to his vain personality and see how he thought he could manage without a lamp, mistaking his friends in the dark. There was still a three strikes method though. This episode is a **6.5/10** for me.

**3\. Pingy Pongy Pick Up**

I didn't have too much against this episode but it seemed like a rewrite of _Percy And The Funfair/Percy And The Carnival_ and why would The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt give the engines the power to choose their own jobs. Haven't the writers seen _Duck Takes Charge_? It is "his railway" and he "gives the orders." And how would Emily dry the uniform by puffing steam through her smokebox. Wouldn't that just make the uniform more dirty? Other than that, it was still an enjoyable episode. I loved the music, the near collision with James was brilliantly filmed and it's nice to Sodor having a football team. I give this episode a **6/10**.

**4\. Charlie And Eddie**

This was a nice episode. Yes, Edward was a tad bit out of character but not by that much. He was rude or unconfident like he was in season 9-10, but it seems that HIT is building the character up to his original persona but he was wise at first and than wise later about what to do with Sir Topham Hatt/The Fat Controller's Car. It was nice to see how Charlie got his second lead role with the #2 engine after having one with the #1 engine and the chase after Bertie bought back nostalgia of season 2's _Bertie's Chase_. However, Percy probably would have been a better choice of character for this episode than Edward. I give it a **6.8/10** because I liked it that much and Edward showed enough of his true character to make up for what HIT has done to him in the past.

**5\. Toby And The Whistling Woods**

Compared to the last couple of episodes, this one was a major disappointment. Of all things, why would Toby be scared of a forest? HIT has really butchered up his character and it's sad. This is another episode where Percy maybe should have been in the lead role. Other than that, there were some things to this episode that got me to like a little and it was the music which seemed quite catchy as always and the animation; the shots of the waterfall was brilliant. It's a **5.5/10** at it's best. It was alright, but it could have been better with a more timid character in the lead role. Toby's persona here is not that bad as compared to season 15-16.

**6\. Henry's Health And Safety**

Now this is much better. A very interesting plot idea about health and safety and a perfect character choice too. I'm surprised since it's a rarity that HIT would give Henry good episodes. There wasn't too much of him being portrayed as a worrier but instead being concerned about health and safety. And the way Victor said BAM was quite funny, even though it was delivered better in the US version. Best episode of the season yet and that's why I give a **7.5/10**.

**7\. Diesel's Special Delivery**

Wow, one step up, another step back down. This was not that bad of an episode but not a good one either. Diesel is so character by how nice he is that it's ridiculous. I'd rather have an episode like this with him being jealous of the other engines and stealing their deliveries instead. If that happened, we'd have the main character of the story showing a bad example. However, it did show Diesel stealing James' train and that was the best true character he showed throughout. Plus, James is stereotypical against diesels when _James And The Diesel Engines_ might have taken place before it. I've written a fanfic with James showing that attitude but I've related to the Awdry book. It seems here that HIT has not read the RWS before writing this. Not a good watch but some good animation though and some pretty catchy music. It's a **4/10** for me at it's best.

**8\. Pop Goes Thomas**

Man, what a bad episode this was. It was like a rewrite of _Slippy Sodor_, and it was nearly as bad as that episode. Thomas is so stupid and the way his giggle is delivered by voice is very annoying and just as annoying as the script itself! At least no other mistake with a character like Edward was made here and that's what made it a teeny bit better than _Slippy Sodor_. I only liked the animation and the music. Plus, the popping noise was very funny and SFX. I give a **2.6/10** at it's best. You guys may think worse but I still agree it's the worst of the season. Or is it? Read on and you'll find out whether I'm right or wrong about that.

**9\. Victor Says Yes**

Much better. This is much better. If HIT wanted to give Victor a lead role, this is the perfect episode to give him. He seems a lot like himself here and it's nice seeing "Arry and Bert in full CGI. The episode strikes an entertaining resemblance to Steamy Sodor as the majority takes place at the SteamWorks and the music at the beginning helped to set the tone for the episode. However, there was some slow pacing, especially with the three strikes method. Ah, well. That didn't stop me from liking this episode so much. There is a good moral about having times to say no. On the whole, it's an **8/10** for me.

**10\. Thomas In Charge**

This was a good episode but Thomas could have had a bit more common sense. I know he was trying to make the Island better for the Railway Inspector and that part of the plot was a nice touch for the series. It was good but it could have gone better with a bit more character development. Not much to say, I give it a **6.6/10**.

**11\. Being Percy**

Much better episode. My favorite episode of the season so far. The moral of being yourself seems quite refreshing for a plot idea and Percy was perfect for the lead role. The music was beautiful, especially at the end and it seemed like everyone was in character, especially Percy and James, first sniffing and than feeling sorry for Percy. We should've had more episodes like this if we were to make up for the lackluster of the previous season as well as this season. It's truly a favorite of the season for me and a favorite from the CGI series between series 13 and 16. Just had a three striker, that's all. I give an **8.5/10**.

**12\. Merry Winter Wish**

Wow, we've had probably one of the best in the season and now we have a bad one. It shouldn't be a surprise for Thomas around this era. I have much to say about this episode. I can't believe I actually had my hopes up for this episode from hearing about the _Merry Winter Wish_ DVD. The music is beautiful and so is the animation but I'm so sick to death of all this "winter holiday" b*llshit. Something that writers had stuck close to from the start but it gets really f*cking annoying after a while! IT'S NOT HARD TO SAY CHRISTMAS, GOD DAMN IT! And why the hell wouldn't this, as a Christmas episode, be saved for the last of the season like two other Christmas episodes were. One thing that irked me about the animation, and one thing only, was how the star was transported. No break van, are you F*CKING KIDDING ME?! NITROGEN, you do really good animation but how the hell would you forget a break van. Sucks that this episode was horribly written, because the plot idea seemed very interesting with the Star of Knapford bought into the fold. I give it a **3.6/10** at it's best.

**13\. Thomas And The Snowman Party**

Unbelievable, another bad episode, even worse than the last one. As one of the first four season 14 episodes to be announced for _Merry Winter Wish_ in the US, I never had high hopes for this one, or did I? It almost seems as though the writers are dumb enough to convince kids that stealing stuff is a good thing. This episode was so bad that it was actually the worst episode of the entire season. Or was it? Nah, just kidding ya. I hate this episode the most out of all in the season but not in the CGI series. I give it a **2.5/10** at it's best. It had a weak plot idea but some good music and good animation, enough said.

**14\. Thomas' Crazy Day**

This is better. The Logging Locos make their season debut and this time, it's not about them on Misty Island but instead learning about the railway. However, I didn't like how Ferdinand kept on saying "that's right" and Cranky's sarcastic persona was taken too far here. It was funny how Ferdinand finally said "this is not right." It had a nice plot idea about Thomas playing a game with Percy while working with the Logging Locos. It had it's faults but I guess it's still a good watch. I give a **6.7/10**.

**15\. Jumping Jobi Wood**

A lot of fans considered this to be one of the best in season 14 back in the day and as interesting as the episode seemed, I'm not quite keen on it nowadays. It was funny to see Ferdinand calling The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt boss and the reaction to that was also funny. But Edward shouldn't be scared of Misty Island, for he had been there before in _Misty Island Rescue_. The way in which the Jobi logs were functioned was very unrealistic and quite dangerous. Some go as far to say that Misty Island is a death trap but I think that's an overreaction and quite an overstatement. The location itself just needs a little adjusting and I bet Andrew Brenner, instead of forgetting about The Logging Locos, is thinking about how he could bring them back with Misty Island to be a safer place to be. The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt's reaction to what was happening on Misty Island near the end was also funny, like "logs are jumping like frogs." That always gave me a chuckle. I have nothing against this episode but it was a little unrealistic in the way that Misty Island. That's all. That's why I'm giving it a **6/10**.

**16\. Thomas And Scruff**

I'm half and half for this episode. Scruff's an interesting character and I like how HIT is using him nowadays as a recurring character. He is striking interest among writers and animators as we speak. However, Thomas, again, is quite stupid at how to engines not being really useful if they're not clean. And why the hell Scruff be scared of soap and brushes? Sure, HIT didn't give him a backstory but that doesn't he should be scared of that sorta stuff. Jesus christ. I give this episode a **5.4/10** because it was average but acceptable for an introduction to a new character.

**17\. O the Indignity**

Hmm, a Gordon episode. HIT always brings a smile to my face with these sort of episodes. He was in character and it seemed as though James, Spencer and Diesel were all in character as well. Gordon's voiceover was quite funny but the alliteration and the three strikes method got a little annoying after a while. Despite those flaws, I still enjoy this episode and that's why it's a **6.8/10** for me.

**18\. Jitters And Japes**

Favorite episode of the season, hands down. A nice simple plot line about Thomas giving the Dowager a tour of Misty Island. It was quite a surprise that Sharon showed Toby's true persona, too bad this wouldn't stay from season 15-16. I was quite confused on how Thomas heard the Dowager heard through the window but maybe Annie's window was cracked open. That could have been explained. And why didn't Annie and Clarabel speak? But it is nice to see an episode featuring Misty Island without the Logging Locos. They were not needed for the story at all. I liked how the alliteration was used here, even if it was meant out to be another lazy script from Sharon. I give it an **8.6/10** because it was that good.

**19\. Merry Misty Island**

Probably the best of the Christmas episodes this season. The plot idea was average but simple about the Logging Locos having a Christmas party, or a "winter holiday party" in Sharon Miller's case. That's right, right, Ferdinand? How annoying that got after a while. But Ferdinand's Christmas tree looked cool and the episode itself had quite the most Christmasy feeling to it out of the four on the _Merry Winter Wish_. Enough said, it's a good watch on Christmas despite major flaws and that's why I give it a **7/10**.

**20\. Henry's Magic Box**

Yes, yes, I know, I know how much you guys hate this episode because of Henry's persona and the amount of Christmas trees that supposedly fit in one box. I could not agree more, but that does not put me completely against this episode. It had it's advantages. At least The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt was able to explain Henry's problem of worrying too much and that helped with the moral. That's what I think makes it better than _Merry Winter Wish_ and _The Snowman Party_ put together. The animation of the Christmas trees was awesome and The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt looked cool in his Santa Claus costume. Another flaw though: why the hell, would he, dressed as Santa Claus, walk out and say "happy winter holidays, everyone!" It's not hard to say Christmas, get your facts straight. It's not a good episode but too bad either compared to some other episodes in this season, not mentioning names. For a finale, it's pretty disappointing so I give it a **4/10**. Yes, guys, I'm calling it underrated and I know you're surprised but these are my thoughts on it.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, the fourteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ was another flawed season with a mixture of good and bad episodes, with mediocre episodes falling in the middle. But it was a small improvement on season 13. The animation, music and voice acting improved but just a teeny bit better at the storytelling front, thanks to episodes like _Being Percy_ and _Jitters And Japes_. It was all just bought down by episodes like _Thomas' Tall Friend_ and _Pop Goes Thomas_ and especially _Thomas And The Snowman Party_.

Adding a collection of Christmas episodes, or _winter holiday_ episodes if Sharon Miller wants to politically correct me, was an interesting idea and got me excited for the season once they were announced back in 2010. But they would have been better off if they were all left for the season finale. Thank god, Andrew Brenner fixed that error by putting them all together for Christmas time. The narrators and voice actors sounded just the same as they did in the previous season and as talented as they were, their contribution was still affected by the bad writing. Robert Hartshorne manages to lighten the episodes up a bit with his lively tunes, especially the rendition of Joy To The World in _Merry Misty Island_.

On to the characters for this season, there were times where I liked how characters like Edward and Toby were softening up a bit back to their old personas, but at other times, I was disappointed by how they were handled, Diesel in particular, and I got sick and tired of Thomas' stupidity. It's nice to expand upon newer characters like Charlie, Victor and Kevin and Scruff's a nice addition to the series with a purpose for being on Sodor. Overall, in spite of the mediocrity of the writing style, I give this season an accurate rating of **5.8/10**.

**Top 5 Episodes:**

1\. Jitter And Japes

2\. Being Percy

3\. Victor Says Yes

4\. Henry's Health And Safety

5\. O The Indignity

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Thomas And The Snowman Party

2\. Pop Goes Thomas

3\. Thomas' Tall Friend

4\. Merry Winter Wish

5\. Henry's Magic Box

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	21. Day Of The Diesels (2011)

About a year has passed since the lukewarm reception of _Misty Island Rescue_ and the fourteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_. The fifteenth season aired the following spring as a surprise to fans with Nitrogen's third feature-length special: _Day Of The Diesels_ airing later in the autumn of 2011 on DVD and Blu-Ray. I just decided to review this first so that my reviews could be in chronological order of the show. Anyway, Sharon Miller was, for the fourth time, the writer and Nitrogen Studios continued animating. Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon stayed on board for the UK and US respectively while Robert Hartshorne continued with the score for the episode. Was _Day Of The Diesel__s_ any improvement over _Misty Island Rescue_ and the fourteenth season? If you wanna know my answer to this, read and find out...

**1\. Plot**

This movie had a very good story to it. It was very creative to have another character besides Thomas in the lead role and it kind of suited Percy well despite it's problems. Diesel 10 makes a pretty good comeback with a very significant contribution to the plot. There is a good moral about trusting those around you and the "charge of the steam brigade" where the engines go to rescue the SteamWorks was gripping. Too bad the plot couldn't be supported by how short the movie was on character development but I'll talk about that next. I give this category an **8/10**.

**2\. Character Development**

The character development for this movie was, well, a bit weak. Percy's pretty good for the lead role but he should know better than to trust the diesels. Belle and Flynn are both interesting characters and their roles fit well for the climax. The characterization of Thomas is great except for the fact that he claimed that _diesels can be devious_ when there are some very nice diesels like Salty and Mavis and even Rusty and BoCo if they were even thought of at the time. Diesel 10 makes a very good comeback and HIT seems to have outdone themselves a bit with how Diesel's character was handled. Den and Dart are both characters that strike interest to me. But there is rarely any characterization out of Paxton and Norman, who, in the present day are nicer than they let on here as just typical troublesome diesels. Sidney only appeared for less than three seconds and it just shows how Sharon Miller just created these three characters for merchandise without no background whatsoever. I think I'll give this category a **6.5/10**.

**3\. Narration/Voices**

The narration for this movie was good. Both narrators sounded good and the voiceover work was spot on, especially for Diesel 10 and Dart. On the whole, I give this category an **7.5****/10**.

**4\. Visuals**

The animation for this movie was an improvement on what Nitrogen had given us before. The sets are beautiful, especially of the Sodor DieselWorks and especially, the shots at the beginning. I give this category a **9****/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

Robert Hartshorne seemed to have outdone himself with the score on this movie, especially the opening titles and the Charge Of The Steam Brigade. On the other hand, _Day Of The Diesels_ seemed a bit like _Go! Go! Thomas _with how it was composed and therefore, not as strong as the _Misty Island __Rescue_ song. It's an **8.5****/10** for this category.

**6\. Length**

Like the previous movies under Nitrogen's involvement, this movie had some good pacing to it. Just a bit too focused on Percy running across the Island to move the plot along. I give this category a **7.5****/10**.

**7\. Writing**

For Sharon Miller's fourth and penultimate movie, the script is an improvement over _Misty Island Rescue_. Yes, the alliteration still got irritating after a while but the rhyming that made it's predecessor so annoying seemed to have died down here. Other than that, the script is decent but nothing special. Not much more to say, this category gets a **6****/10**.

**8\. Direction**

Greg Tiernan still delights us with how he directs the movie The shots throughout the movie are amazing and I don't there is much more to say. I'm giving this category an **8****/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, this movie was a good step up from _Misty Island Rescue_. The plot includes a very clear moral to get across to audiences about trust and patience and Percy fits the lead role pretty well, even though _Tale Of The Brave_ is a better movie for him. There are quite a few characters that were at first just there for the merchandising, but thanks to Andrew Brenner who developed them even further, we're glad that they even came to existence in the first place. Despite the flaws that it had to it, I do enjoy it, even if it was my #1 favorite movie until _Blue Mountain Mystery_ a year later. This was back when I watched this at 16 and I'm older now so I know what I actually know what is wrong with this movie. Overall, this movie gets an accurate rating of **7.6****/10**.

WHAT'S YOUR RATING?


	22. Season 15 (2011)

About a few months has passed since the lukewarm reception of the fourteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_. The fifteenth season aired the following spring as a surprise to fans. I just decided to review this season after _Day Of The Diesels_ so that my reviews could be in chronological order of the show. Anyway, Sharon Miller continued at the head writing helm and Nitrogen Studios continued animating. Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon stayed on board for the UK and US respectively while Robert Hartshorne continued with the score for the episodes. The season was considered to be the worst Thomas season of all time for it's features but was it really? If you wanna know my answer to this, read and find out...

**1\. Gordon And Ferdinand**

Man, what a drab way to start off a season. At least Thomas didn't get the premiere episode for once in six years. It had a nice plot idea of having a Logging Locos trilogy but there was rarely any character development out of the two lead characters, Ferdinand in particular. Seeing the Lion of Sodor back was a nice touch but still, the writing, like the majority of the season itself, sucked and had just gotten worse than S13-14. It's a **3/10** at it's best. It was very well animated, but horribly written and the characters were badly developed. Worst Gordon episode ever and the worst in the Logging Locos Trilogy, enough said.

**2\. Toby And Bash**

An improvement over the last episode and the only episode of the trilogy that it is at the least decent plot-wise. There was a bit more characterization out of Bash than there was out of Ferdinand in the previous episode. Toby was an okay episode for him to star with but at least he's not scared for once but he thinks he's being wise in the least. It was a touching episode and a decent watch if you wanna look back on this season's advantages. It's a **6.9/10** for me.

**3\. Emily And Dash**

Worst Emily episode ever! I'd rather see her character flaws here than the ones presented in season 8 and 9 but the episode itself was so horribly written, it's horrendous! It's so repetitive and so unrealistic with the tweeting noises and how Emily just left Dash on the main line without thinking about the possibility of Gordon coming through. However, there was a good advantage in this episode and that was Trevor but the music and the animation was good too. I give a **4/10** at it's best. It's a bad episode but not too bad compared to the next one.

**4\. Percy's New Friends**

Worst episode of the season yet! Why is it always episodes about animals where HIT seems to go wrong? Percy is so stupid, it's unbelievable. Not too much to say more besides an okay moral of being gentle and some good animation too. Other than that, yes, it's bad and that's why I give a **2.6/10** at it's best.

**5\. Edward The Hero**

Finally, a very good episode. Not perfect, but very good for an Edward episode. His best episode since season 8, even if this is a bit of a rewrite of _Being Percy_. The rendition of Edward's theme was great and so was the characterization out of Edward and Harold. However, there were faults with how the episode was written with repetitive it was and especially Edward's joke for Charlie and how Edward doesn't know how to be a hero when he has been one twice in season 2. It's still a season 15 favorite for me, though, and that's why I give it a **7.4/10**.

**6\. James To The Rescue**

Hmm…not a bad plot idea but James' attitude towards Toby ruined it for me to a good extent. The crash was brilliantly filmed though and that was enough for me. This episode wasn't very good but it wasn't that bad either. James' characterization and the bland writing were the only things that irked me that much. Other than that, I'm half and half for this episode and so I give a **4.8/10**.

**7\. Happy Hiro**

This one was a good improvement. Upon my first view, it was a little boring but the concept seemed alright. The music was great but if Hiro really wanted to go home, why didn't he just ask? I enjoy him as a character but why would he come back to Sodor if he misses home so much. There could have been a bit more characterization out of Thomas and the Logging Locos, and Hiro could have told Thomas from the beginning that he wasn't enjoying. I don't know if there's much more to say. This is just another episode that I find quite decent. I give it a **6/10**.

**8\. Up, Up And Away!**

The music was great and probably the best thing about the episode. Other than that, it's the worst episode of the season yet and of the entire show yet. I mean, seriously! Do we have to get a heads up that Thomas and Percy are best friends every time they star together in an episode? In Sharon Miller's case, I guess so. The fact that Mr. Bubbles had to blow up three big balloons is incredibly unrealistic and therefore presents an animation error. Other than the music, the other thing I found quite funny was when the narrator said _All the Hatts were_ _Hatless_ but that was about it. I hated this episode to an extent. But was it the worst of the season? If you wanna hear my opinion, read on in this review and find out. I give it a**1.8/10** at it's best.

**9\. Henry's Happy Coal**

This is much better. It would have been much better if the special coal element wasn't added within and maybe just had Henry taking on some bad coal but 'Arry and Bert are in perfect character and Henry's HIT theme sounds better than ever before. Adding a Railway Coal Inspector to the plot to inspect Henry was a nice touch. Not much more said, I liked the episode despite its faults, especially with the bland writing. I give it a **6.6/10**.

**10\. Let It Snow**

The beginning had amazing scenery and the music was top notch but the _winter holiday_ tripe still annoyed me. After that, the episode just got repetitive with the rhythm and alliteration. Despite it's flaws, at least it's not a Misty Island episode that uses deathtraps like Hee Haw or Ol' Wheezy or even Shake Shake Bridge. It was better than the Christmas episodes from the previous season put together and the snow at the end looked beautiful in CGI. I was half and half for this episode. and so I give a **5.6/10**.

**11\. Surprise, Surprise**

Here we go. A simple episode with a simple plot, although the moral would take a little bit of time to analyze. Stanley finally speaks for the first time in CGI and his voice sounds good. Too bad it was underused after this. The animation of the snow is a beautiful watch and the music is very catchy. Although, there are some faults to this episode. First off, this winter holiday crap needs to stop and it's quite clear how the three strikes method was used twice: Thomas helping his friends and than messing up three times before asking Victor for help. Charlie's joke was, again, silly but other than that, it's a good watch in my opinion, even around Christmastime. I give a **7.6/10** because I enjoyed it that much.

**12\. Spencer The Grand**

Hmm, this episode seemed alright but it could've been loads better. Railways should never close whatever the weather, take Misty Island for example. Besides, if the railway was closed for foggy weather, than why were Percy, Mavis and Whiff still at work? That confused me a bit. Other than that, this seems like an okay episode for Spencer to have and I don't if there's much more to say. Not a great episode but not a bad one either. I give it a **6/10**.

**13\. Stop That Bus!**

Best episode of the season, hands down. While it does seem like a rewrite of _Thomas And Skarloey's Big Day Out_, it is on par with that episode if you ask me. It is a great way to return Bertie to the series and Rupert Degas does great voiceover work on the character. The plot is simple with Thomas taking Bertie to see the sights of Sodor and the characterization out of Thomas and Bertie seemed alright. Dowager Hatt saying "ooh, I like Misty Island" was a nice reference to _Jitters And Japes_ but then again, there was that pointless introduction and the writing, was still a bit faulty despite being at it's best for the season. I can't help but I say that I enjoyed the episode and so it's an **8/10** for me.

**14\. Stuck On You!**

I'd never thought in over twelve years since his debut but oh my god, Butch can actually talk. It was a clever idea for HIT to come up with an idea like this too. He's been in the show for about 10 or 11 seasons now. It's too bad that the mediocre writing couldn't live up to the good plot concept and I feel that both Thomas and Butch could have been smarter not to realize that they were attached to each other through a magnet. Other than that, it was not a bad episode in my opinion and I think it deserves a **6.3/10**.

**15\. Big Belle**

Not too keen on this one. Belle's an interesting character and she's got a nice bubbly personality but I liked her better in Day Of The Diesels than I did here. Toby is also, again, out of character which became worse in season 16 but here he is scared cows and mud and water cannons? Seriously? That's not the old and wise Toby we know. Maybe it would be better if Toby and Belle developed some sort of close friendship and Toby would try to show Belle all his favorite places on Sodor but she would end getting puffed in the smokebox by not listening to him. But no, we had this instead. It's an average watch and that's why it's a **4.5/10** for me. Not too bad of an episode compared to the next two but, again, it could have been way better.

**16\. Kevin The Steamie**

Wow, what a bad episode. The only redeeming thing about it was the catchy music and the animation, especially with the barrel rolling up to Spencer. Other than that, it was a bad story and Kevin was just a complete idiot. He may be clumsy but I never thought he'd be stupid enough to try act like a steam engine. And the way Thomas and Percy buffed the oil trucks could have hurt the workmen. Seriously, this episode was just boring and unrealistic and only worth the watch if you wanna look back at how good the animation. Other than that, it's a **2.8/10** for me.

**17\. Wonky Whistle**

Well, well, well. Have I been looking forward to reviewing this? Guess watching this again leaves me with one question that I had before: WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST WATCH? Seriously, people, you think that Sharon Miller is a bad writer but Neil Ben is the worst writer ever! It was so dangerous of Thomas to leave the SteamWorks without having his whistle fixed? And the sound that the wonky whistle made was real f*cking annoying. It's just terrible! It just shows how HIT didn't know jacksh*t about railways back in the day. I hated this episode with a passion and the only points go to the animation, despite the part where Thomas rolls his eyes, that was just a pain to watch and Robert Hartshorne. It's a **1.5/10** at it's best. Yes, guys, that's my rating for the worst Thomas episode ever made.

**18\. Percy The Snowman**

Mmm, could have been better but compared to the last two episodes, this one was enjoyable. The animation was great and the music was top notch. Hartshorne sounds very enthusiastic from the rendition of _Joy To The World_. However, it was a little short on character development as Thomas should have known better than to not know that Percy was hidden under the snow. It's also stated how the children never saw a snow engine but maybe they were different children than in seasons 7's _Snow Engine/Oliver The Snow Engine_. Percy being a snowman bought a bit of nostalgia to season 5's Snow but I thought this was a lot better than that episode. I'm really getting tired of all this _winter holiday_ crap but other than that, it's a decent watch and the ending was very touching. I give a **6/10**.

**19\. Tree Trouble**

Probably the best of the Christmas episodes. The introduction to Christmas trees was pointless and what's a Christmas episode without any snow? But it had a simple plot idea of steamie VS diesel rivalry over a Christmas tree. I really like Den and Dart and the voiceover work for them is top notch. It's an enjoyable watch and Dowager Hatt, again, plays an interesting role in the story. The writing was indeed cliched but better than the way that some of the episodes this season were written and the way that Diesel sad "yeah" at the end was gave me a good chuckle. I can't help but say that I liked it and so I give it a **7.8/10**.

**20\. Fiery Flynn**

I like Flynn as a character and as much as this episode gave me quite a few chuckles, it was unrealistic and a bad influence on the idea of firefighting, especially kids who want to grow up to become firefighters. I always laughed at how Flynn said "you're not on fire?" but it also came to show how short the episode was on character development. And in reality, Thomas' smokebox would've burned completely had Flynn arrived at the SteamWorks at the time he did. It's not even explained how his smokebox caught fire. It's not a good episode but not that bad either. It could have been much better if it was more realistic. On the whole, it's a **4.4/10** for me.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, the fifteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ is the worst season in Thomas history. It was unrealistic and very short on character development. The animation and music improved seemed to have been outdone by Greg Tiernan and his team but the writing had just gotten worse, making the voice acting, despite all the talent, a bother at times. It was worse than season 13 but not that much worse. Like I said in my season 13 review, the two seasons are at the same storytelling front but this season is more unrealistic and the writing is sh*ttier. That's all.

There were some good episodes to this season where the writing was okay and that was episodes like _Edward The Hero_ and _Stop That Bus!_ The Christmas episodes, or "winter holiday episodes" if Sharon Miller wants to politically correct me, were better than those of the fourteenth season, especially episodes like _Surprise, Surprise_ and _Tree Trouble_. It seems as though, as I'm a US fan, all of my favorite episodes seemed to have made it on DVD first in 2011 on the DVDs _Merry Christmas, Thomas!_ and _Rescue On The Rails_. However, there were some of the worst episodes of all time like _Percy's New Friends_ and _Kevin The Steamie_ and even episodes that I really hated like _Up, Up And Away!_ and _Wonky Whistle_. The two worst episodes ever and it makes the _Up, Up And Away!_ DVD (worst Thomas home video release of all time) only a good watch for Driver Perkins and the animation that the episodes have to offer.

Now, onto how this season was handled in terms of chronology, it should have in October 2011 after _Day Of The Diesels_ and the four Christmas episodes should have been saved for Christmas, or at least the end of the season. Despite all it's flaws, this season did have it's advantages and so I give it an accurate rating of **5.2/10**.

**Top 5 Episodes:**

1\. Stop That Bus!

2\. Tree Trouble

3\. Surprise, Surprise

4\. Edward The Hero

5\. Toby And Bash

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Wonky Whistle

2\. Up, Up And Away!

3\. Percy's New Friends

4\. Kevin The Steamie

5\. Gordon And Ferdinand

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	23. Season 16 (2012)

About a year has passed since the fifteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ aired on television, receiving generally negative reviews among fans. It's prequel, _Day Of The Diesels_, aired the following later on in the year to mixed to positive reviews, yet to be followed by the sixteenth season later in the autumn. Instead, the season was pushed back to spring 2012, continuing where season 15 left off, _Blue Mountain Mystery_ airing later on the year. Anyway, Sharon Miller continued at the head writing helmand Nitrogen Studios continued animating. Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon stayed on board for the UK and US respectively and this would be the last season for all three cases. Robert Hartshorne continued with the score for the episodes while the voice actors also stayed. The season was considered an improvement over season 15 at it's time but was it really? If you wanna know my answer to this, read and find out...

**1\. Race To The Rescue**

This was an okay start to a season. Definitely a better opener than the last two seasons. However, I never really had any high hopes for it. The plot idea for Flynn going on the roads is nice but it would have gone off better with much better writing. The one thing that slightly struck me though was Charlie's new US voice. I guess I was okay with this one and so I give it a **5.8/10**.

**2\. Ol Wheezy Wobbles**

Not a good episode in my opinion. It was badly written, especially the introduction at the beginning. It was also very repetitive and Thomas should have guessed that Den and Dart work together by now. Without that, there would be no story, right? The way that Ol' Wheezy threw logs across at the end was very unrealistic. This was just a bad watch for me. There were some advantages to it like the animation and the music but what I really look for is a good story. It's a **3.4/10** at it's best for me.

**3\. Express Coming Through**

Here we go. A good episode that bought back some season 1 nostalgia of _Thomas' Train/A Big Day For Thomas_. Thomas and Gordon also had a similar big vs fast rivalry and it was nice to see Thomas pulling the express again, even if he managed to do it easily in season 1 but struggled with it in this episode. Dowager Hatt shouting _Thomas, do something!_ was also always fun to watch. I give it an **8.5/10** because it was that good.

**4\. Percy And The Monster Of Brendam**

This one was okay, though it was filled with flaws. What really surprised me was that Thomas didn't speak once for the first time in 4 years and that was a nice touch. I don't really know about Henry, whose persona had gotten worse in the next episode, but Edward and Toby were out of character but not by that much. HIT's just building them back up to their original personalities and thank god Andrew Brenner helped them do that faster. Gordon and James would have gone off better in their place, not believing Percy at first but letting their braveness get the better of them once they see the shadows. The interactions between Percy and Diesel gives me a good chuckle every time I see it. However, there's also a four striker instead of a three striker and a lot of alliteration which got annoying after a while. The good thing is that there was no rhyming to bring the score down by a fair mile. It was on the whole an okay episode and that's why I give it a **5.5/10**. Not bad, but it could have been better and Percy should have been doing his work instead looking for monsters.

**5\. Ho Ho Snowman**

Bad episode here. Worst of the season yet. It's nice to see that the troublesome trucks/freight cars have finally gotten speaking roles in CGI and it's ironic to see how Charlie, after getting a lead role with Thomas and Edward, had gotten an episode with Henry. There were a few chuckles to this episode, like Charlie's snowman voice for example, but Henry was so stupid. I would have rather given his role here to Percy. Charlie's jokes sucked to an extent but at least Edward and Emily to teach Charlie a thing or two about snow. It's a bad watch but not a horrible episode. There's only one episode in this season that I consider to be of that worth and you'll find out later on the season. I give this a **3/10** at it's best.

**6\. Flash, Bang, Wallop!**

Much better episode. I really like the plot idea of having a photographer and a railway book, especially with the City of Truro involved in the book. Percy and James' crashes were brilliantly filmed and the music was very catchy. However, Thomas should have known better than to ruin all of the photographs like that. There would be no story without it, right? Anyway, it was an enjoyable watch and that's why I think it deserves a **7/10**.

**7\. Thomas And The Rubbish Train/Thomas And The Garbage Train**

Wow, another good episode. Still a bit of a three striker but not as bad as compared to some of the previous episodes. Diesel was perfectly in character and for some reason, it was nice seeing the Duchess in an episode without her husband. Though, again, Thomas could have a bit more common sense with how he made a decision on how to do two jobs at the same time. On the whole, I never had much high hopes for it at first but it was an enjoyable watch and that's why I give it an **8/10**.

**8\. Thomas Toots The Crows**

This is going to sound weird but for an animal episode, it was bad but in my opinion, not as bad as _Thomas' Tall Friend_ or _Percy's New Friends_. Sure it was the worst episode of the second week and very repetitive with Thomas chasing the crows from place to place and Gordon's mustache was quite funny. But at least the episode had a purpose, especially with Farmer McColl having a scarecrow, though the ending did not make much sense. Thomas stays all night and scares the crows away, than falls asleep in the morning. Shouldn't he start work? Unless, it was before all of the other engines got up of course. It's not a good watch but too bad either. I give it a **3.6/10** at it's best.

**9\. Bust My Buffers!**

Best episode of the season yet. Probably Gordon's best episode since season 11's _Gordon And The Engineer_. Yes, you guys, I know you get tired of hearing this but HIT gives Gordon good episodes and therefore, Sharon knows his boastful and arrogant character very well. Back to the episode itself, it just comes to show the railway realism that the episode explores and hopefully the interactions between Gordon and Mavis would shut the journalists up. If you know what I'm talking about, it's about them saying that Thomas is sexist which I find total BS and Mavis' characterization in this episode comes to show it. Den and Dart were also a bit more properly developed and the shot with Paxton and Norman chuffing alongside Gordon into the DieselWorks was nicely done. Too bad the two characters didn't speak. It had better writing then most of the previous episodes despite a few annoying alliteration parts but that didn't matter too much. It's a great watch for me and so I give it an **8.8/10**. Hopefully this rating makes you excited for my opinion on the next episode.

**10\. Percy And The Calliope**

Well, well, well, have I been looking forward to reviewing this episode? Yes, I have and do you want to know why? It's horrible and probably the worst episode of the whole season. The alliteration was annoying and Percy was stupid and…HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, GOTCHA! I love this episode. It's probably the best episode between S12 and S16. The plot reminds me of _Saved From Scrap_ and for the only two engines to speak, Percy and Diesel are both in perfect character and I couldn't think of any characters would would have gone off better in their places. It seems that HIT is learning their lesson about Diesel's character and have been building it up from the way it was in season 14 and developing it more this season to be to how it was in _Blue Mountain Mystery_ and the seventeenth season.

_That's the only music I've heard all day!_

Man, I loved that line because it totally defines Diesel's character. Still though, Percy should know that calliopes don't run on coal or water and the three strikes method was still there. Ah, well, that's no surprise. Anyway, the music at the beginning got me really excited despite the alliteration that was still there and I loved the ending where the Thomas theme played on the calliope. It definitely bought a slight tear to my eye. Best episode of the season, hands down, and that's why I think it deserves a **9.1/10**.

**11\. Thomas And The Sounds Of Sodor**

Mmm, not a great episode in my opinion. I got excited for it at first and thought that the narrow gauge engines were going to make a comeback but no. It is an improvement over Gerard Foster's last script not by too much. It is very repetitive and Gordon taking the pretty track and James being at the quarry despite it being proved bought little characterization out of the two characters together. And why wouldn't Thomas be happy to see his FRIENDS? Other than that, I liked the characterization out of the composer and I guess I was okay with this episode. I give it a **5.6/10**.

**12\. Salty's Surprise**

Pretty good episode in my opinion, but I don't get why they couldn't use the term _Christmas_ in both the US and the UK versions. Other than that, it was the highlight of the _A Very Thomas Christmas_ release and I can state a few reasons. The plot idea was nice and simple and really fits Edward's character, helping him even more to build up from a timid or a cocky engine in S9-10 to a kind engine in this episode and a wise engine in the next season. There is also a nice simple moral about Christmas presents not always coming in a box. However, Edward should have known better than to carry the tree in his cab since it could have burnt. The three strikes was used in a more interesting way from how Salty had a story to tell each time. Not to mention that the music was catchy and the animation was very good, especially of the Christmas trees and the funnel, which made a nice comeback, even if it was from a bad episode. It's a nice watch, especially on Christmas, and that's why I give it a **7.6/10**.

**13\. Sodor Surprise Day**

One step up, another step way down. This is probably the worst episode of the third week. It's a rarity that Rosie spoke but Gordon seemed like the only one with common sense throughout the episode, probably in character. The animation was nice and it was to see Callan Castle return in CGI. Harold looks great with the lights on him but the part with the fireworks seemed very dangerous and it could have killed somebody. Not a good episode but a very bad one either. I give it a **4/10**.

**14\. Emily's Winter Party Special**

At first, I wasn't too keen about this episode when I first watched it on Channel 5 Milkshake back in March 2012 but then I purchased _A Very Thomas Christmas_ at Walmart later that year in October and excited as I was for _The Christmas Tree Express_. Boy, was I disappointed at how that found out followed by another bad episode and a good one. Then the DVD ended off with this episode and I realized that it was actually my second favorite episode on the release. Therefore, I thought to myself that this wasn't so bad after all. Back to the plot, like Edward two episodes before, HIT's building Emily back up to her true character that she was in season 7 and thank god it was solved in the next season. The animation was, again, eye-catching and I really enjoyed the music throughout. _The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt_'s reaction to his hat being found is a good chuckle every time i watch the episode. It's a decent watch, but not too often to bring you into the Christmas spirit, so I'm giving it a **6/10**.

**15\. Muddy Matters**

At first, I wasn't too excited for this episode because the sound of sheep. Animal episodes, people. But it turns out that I quite liked this one. It's a good episode for James to have, even if there is a three strikes method. I have a great fondness for dogs so I have some sort of respect for the character Katie and she served a great purpose in this episode by herding Farmer McColl, even if James should have known that by now. It's a good watch and definitely better than most animals episodes we've gotten out of HIT in the past few years so it's a **7.5/10** for me.

**16\. Whiff's Wish**

Hmm, this was an interesting episode. It sounded like a Christmas episode at first but once I read the description, I knew it was going to be a typical three striker and it was, especially Whiff's characterization. But I felt that Spencer was totally, but wasn't he always? The music was very catchy and there was a nice introduction at the beginning about the engines' jobs. The biggest surprise was that, for the first in 14 years, the Flying Kipper has been mentioned, even if it appeared for about three seconds or less. It's a good episode that's almost up to par with the previous so I've give it a **7.4/10**.

**17\. Welcome Stafford**

Pretty interesting episode here. Damn shame that the score was bought down by the three strikes method and Thomas' unnecessary appearance. The writing was still clunky and I have no idea why Spencer was chosen to show Stafford around the island. He's just a visiting engine. Other than that, I really like Stafford as a character and I think this is a better episode for him than the one in the next season. As much as Spencer deserved his comeuppance in the end of not being noticed in favor of Stafford, you feel happy for Stafford, knowing that's he fitting to Sodor but sorry for Spencer who still seems a bit like his _Hero Of The Rails_ character here judging from Victor's attitude towards him and especially the end. Other than that, it's a decent watch and I think it deserves a few more viewings every now and then once in a while so it's a **6/10** for me. Definitely loads better than the next episode.

**18\. The Christmas Tree Express**

Well, well, well. Now this is an episode I've been looking forward to reviewing. The final week confirmation of the sixteenth season included this as the eighteenth episode so I'm keeping it that way and not the season's finale. It was first confirmed as _The Christmas Express_ but before the episodes of the final week had their plot synopsis announced, this one was pushed back until Christmas to everyone's disappointment, but it left them excited too, thinking that Nitrogen and hopefully Sharon would have a final surprise out of them in store for us. Than _Roll Along Thomas_ announced _A Very Thomas Christmas_ for October 2012 and I gotta say, the plot synopsis of this episode starting off the DVD sounded interesting. However, about a month later, a short preview of this episode was released and I watched it, smelling a bad episode coming for miles. When I finally purchased it on DVD with the other three Christmas episodes, boy, were my methods correct. This is by far the worst episode of the season and it's the only episode in this season that I hate and consider to be horrible, not only that but disgraceful, disgusting and despicable on all three grounds! It was just a lazy mashup of _Thomas And Skarloey's Big Day Out_ and _Stop That Bus!_, only those two were good episodes. Toby and Rheneas are so out of character and the Logging Locos only make it worse. That's right, right?! RIGHT, FERDINAND?! Toby's been to Misty Island about two times before and Sharon knows this! She's written both episodes where he's been to Misty Island for F*CK SAKE! It seems as though she wrote this in order to be finally done with the series once and for all. I've lost a great deal of respect for Toby by this point but I slowly got it back as the series progressed after this. The music sounded nothing like a Christmas episode, heck the episode DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO BE A CHRISTMAS EPISODE! Just an episode about the two characters going around Misty Island to find a tree, not Christmasy at all. There was no point in holding this off until Christmas in the UK, probably the only reason why I preferred the UK version was because of "Christmas" being put in place of "winter holidays." I hated this episode to an extent that it should have been in it's original for March 2012, but I can get why HIT moved it up. Too many complaints about the Christmas episodes, or _winter holiday_ episodes if Sharon wants to politically correct me, so it was changed from this season onwards and now we have our Christmas episodes saved until Christmas, yippee! But don't get me wrong there. I still hate this episode and it's almost as bad as the worst episodes ever: Up, Up And Away! and Wonky Whistle. I give it a **2/10** at it's best. This one was slightly more bearable than the aforementioned episodes but seemed just as cringeworthy as the episode was dragged along. I am DONE with this episode. Phew!**  
**

**19\. Don't Bother Victor!**

This was a better episode and a better way to welcome back the narrow gauge, though _Blue Mountain Mystery_ is a middle finger to this episode and the previous one. It was a bit of a rewrite of _Sir Handel In Charge_ but it was better than that episode by a fair mile. I liked the voices for the narrow gauge engines but they got better by the time _Blue Mountain Mystery_ came along. It was good that Duncan got a mention but there could have been word on what happened to him after the episode. Speaking of Duncan, why did it take him two more years to return to the series. If Nitrogen was able to bring the first five engines than why not Duncan? That's something that always be a puzzle to me and he was truly missed in this episode, especially by me. That said, it's not too bad of an episode but it's very repetitive and therefore it's a not a favorite. On the whole, I give it a **4.6/10** at it's best.

**20\. Happy Birthday, Sir!**

This is a pretty decent way to end off the season, as well as a good send-off to Nitrogen and Sharon before animating and writing their last movie. Winston's an interesting character but he could have been better off with a little more characterization. Thank god that was solved in _Blue Mountain Mystery_. Anyway, the plot idea was interesting of Winston looking for a present for _The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt_ while Thomas is trying to help him be really useful. I also enjoyed the part with Salty and Edward. It seems that Edward is about to be ready a wise engine but maybe that's already been done here. But one question: if Edward was the first engine to arrive on Sodor, maybe they could have meant the railway while Thomas was at Vicarstown and not yet transferred. Anyway, it was nice to see the flashback involving _The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt_ and the music was, again, very catchy. The ending with the birthday carriage was very touching so I could do nothing more but enjoy this episode for a closer. Nitrogen will be missed but I'm not sure about Sharon. It's a **6.8/10** for me. A good episode that could have been better.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, the sixteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ was not only better than season 15 but a good step-up to S13-15 as whole. I don't I've seen a season this good for about a few years since season 11 or 12. Sharon's done a slightly better job from the year before but not by that much. On the other hand, _Neil Ben_ was nowhere to be seen but too bad that _Gerard Foster_ was. _Max Allen_ is probably my favorite writer from at least 2008 until 2012. He's written the best episode of the season while writing one average script for _Emily's Winter Party Special_ and one good one for _Muddy Matters_.

This season was a mix of good and okay episodes, a few bad ones falling in between like _Thomas Toots The Crows_ and _Ol Wheezy Wobbles_. Plus one that I really didn't like which was _Ho Ho Snowman_ and one that I hated which was _The Christmas Tree Express_. However, there were a few very good watches like _Thomas And The Rubbish Train/Thomas And The Garbage Train_ and _Express Coming Through_, an episode that bought back some S1 nostalgia. But my two favorite episodes from the CGI series as whole were _Bust My Buffers!_ and, of course, _Percy And The Calliope_.

Onto the Christmas episodes for this season, there was one that I really liked which was _Salty's Surprise_, a great way to build up Edward's character a bit, and a decent one which was _Emily's Winter Party Special_, a decent way to build up Emily's character to the way it would be in the next season. As for the other two, I know you guys have heard this already, but I don't like _Ho Ho Snowman_ and I hate _The Christmas Tree Express_. I prefer the UK version of these episodes by a long shot because the criticism from the UK DVDs mentioning "winter holidays" in every Christmas episode was just frustrating and I don't get why the US didn't get the same effect on "Christmas holidays" as the UK did. Ah, well, it wouldn't have made too much of an impact on the episodes, _The Christmas Tree Express_ in particular.

I liked how most of the characters were handled this season. About 75% of the Steam Team have gained my respect a bit more, though Thomas was still a bit of a pain in the butt at times, but Henry and Toby I just couldn't stand and you guys probably know why by now. The narrow gauge engines made an okay comeback but they, too, could have gone off a bit better with some more character development and they made a much better comeback in the following movie. As for Diesel, well, let me say, HIT's about ready to revert him back to his season 2 persona and I'd like to thank Sharon for helping them a bit in that scenario.

Now, onto how this season was handled in terms of chronology, I think that it takes place before Blue Mountain Mystery, judging by Winston's introduction, but you guys may think differently. I think that Spring 2012 was a pretty good time to release it, knowing what will be in store for Nitrogen and Sharon's final contribution later on in the year. Greg Tiernan and his team will be missed but fans, including myself, are pleased that Robert Hartshorne will still be making a contribution to the score of the series. Despite all the flaws that were presented, this season may be in my top 5 worst seasons along with season 9 and season 13-15 but I enjoy it regardless and so I give it an accurate rating of **6/10**.

**Top 5 Episodes:**

1\. Percy And The Calliope

2\. Bust My Buffers!

3\. Express Coming Through

4\. Thomas And The Rubbish Train/Thomas And The Garbage Train

5\. Salty's Surprise

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. The Christmas Tree Express

2\. Ho Ho Snowman

3\. Ol Wheezy Wobbles

4\. Thomas Toots The Crows

5\. Sodor Surprise Day

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	24. Blue Mountain Mystery (2012)

About six months has passed since the mixed reception of the sixteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_, one episode known as _The Christmas Tree Express_ was pushed back until Christmas later on the year, opening to a negative reception among fans. About six months after season 16 and three months before _The Christmas Tree Express_, Nitrogen's fourth and final special and Sharon Miller's fifth and final movie _Blue Mountain Mystery_ was released on DVD and Blu-Ray. It introduced a rang of new characters and bought the narrow gauge engines into the fold for the main plot. Everything else was about the same in terms of music and voice cast. Robert Hartshore and his son Peter Harthorne wrote the score while Sam Blewitt performed the songs. Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon returned in the UK and the US respectively for one last time while Andrew Brenner hopped on board as the script editor. Was _Blue Mountain Mystery_ an improvement over _Day Of The Diesels_ or _Misty Island __Rescue_ or even _Hero Of The Rails_ and the rest of the movies? A lot of fans may think so but if you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Plot**

The plot for this movie was great. The prologue was amazing and surely leaves you excited for what is going to happen next in the movie. There are great morals about friendship and not jumping to conclusions. The CGI flashbacks were an interesting addition to remind us of the old days and make kids interested in the classic series. Luke and Victor's backstories were also a nice touch. Not much more to say, the plot is just so great for such a movie but I can't explain much more so I'll give this category a **9/10**.

**2\. Character Development**

The character development for this movie was great, especially out of Skarloey, Annie, Clarabel, Diesel and Paxton, whom I'm glad got a bit more character development thanks to Andrew Brenner. But one thing, how did Emily remark on Thomas' accident of how bad it was. Unless she heard about it of course, but Gordon, having his role in the movie, could have said it instead since he was there during the events of the accident. Also, James, who also seems a bit prejudice against diesels by talking about what Diesel did in _Misty Island Rescue_, could have also bought up the events of season 2 that got Diesel sent away from Sodor. If Duck were even thought of by this point, the events of the Duck and Diesel trilogy would have probably been referenced with a flashback Diesel telling lies to the trucks/cars.

_Emily: but even if he wasn't sent away from Sodor._

_Duck: (nearby the shed) but he was for telling lies about me, remember?_

_Gordon: oh, you had to bring that up!_

_Emily: what did he do?_

_Duck: (as flashback occurs) he went into sidings and told different stories about the engines to the trucks/cars. I was sent away when these rumors occurred but Diesel was soon found out and sent away in disgrace._

_James: and thank goodness too!_

Just a little something that I would have done if Duck was a part of the movie or just mentioned by Gordon, James or Henry who were present during the events of the incident. Speaking of Diesel, he's perfectly in character here from the buildup he received in S13-16 and so are Edward and Emily. The CGI era may have seen the worst out of Thomas but it was better in a case that the three aforementioned characters were built back up to their true personalities. Henry and Toby, after going through major flaws throughout the HIT series, seems to be their wise selves here as well. In fact, Diesel was so in character that I felt frustrated with his character at times, especially at the climax. However, Rheneas is a tad bit out of character when he complains about his paint. It's just not his character. Thank god Sir Handel didn't return to his S4 persona. I don't ever see that again, no offense to the Awdry family. As wise as Skarloey is, he seems a bit too wise for his own good, if you get what I mean. I mean I love his persona here better and it sure beats that little nitpick at the end of season 6 and than S7-12 but he could show a bit more caring side towards his friends and not just serious about everything that goes around. And why would he thank Thomas for saving his cab? What about his crew? Anyway, the relationship between Thomas and Luke is very touching and you feel for both of them after the little _Working Together_ instrumental. However, I didn't like the characterization out of the narrow gauge engines at the climax but it's what built some tension to the story and I don't whether or not there would have been a story if the narrow gauge engines turned their backs on Thomas. I'm sorry but that part always frustrated me. And how was it that Luke was mad at Thomas for letting out the secret and had no choice but to come to Thomas' rescue but the fact that he says to trust him and calls him his friend after being mad at him for a short time was slightly confusing. Maybe he knew that Thomas risked his boiler (yes, because engines have boilers) for him to protect him from Diesel and so he forgave him. Speaking of forgiveness, the narrow gauge engines didn't apologize for the little misunderstanding and neither did Paxton admit that he told Diesel about Luke and started the whole conflict. No matter how happy the ending was, it would have made more sense if more apology and confession was put into action there. All of the new characters were great. Luke was well-developed for a character and Winston was given a more proper introduction. Owen played a great role in the climax though I don't get why Merrick wasn't developed. Ah, well, you can't have it all, right? Despite all that, it doesn't stop me from liking the characterization for this movie so I think I'll give this category an **8/10**.

**3\. Narration/Voices**

The narration for this movie was great. Both Michael Angelis and but Michael Brandon sounded great and very enthusiastic about the movie, though I prefer Brandon over Angelis. Same goes for the voice. I love Michael Legge's voiceover work for Luke. Somehow, I preferred the US dub to the UK dub. On the whole, I give this category an **9/10**.

**4\. Visuals**

To end off the Nitrogen era, the animation was great, especially the setting at the Blue Mountain Quarry and the flashbacks towards the classic series. Too bad Duncan didn't make it into the animators' hands. I give this category a **9****/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

I loved the score for this movie. Robert Hartshorne and Peter Hartshorne do an awesome job as father and son, especially the beginning part. As for Sam Blewitt, he seems to have blown us away with his voice. Both songs _Working Together (Blue Mountain Quarry)_ and _Blue Mountain Mystery_ are a great triumph and probably the highlight. I can't fault this category in any way so I'll give it a solid **10****/10**.

**6\. Length**

This movie had a very good pace to it, even if the plot focused too much on Thomas and less on the narrow gauge engines that kept our fingers crossed for this movie in the first place. I give this category an **8****/10**.

**7\. Writing**

For Sharon Miller's last movie, I have to say, the script was much better than before, mainly because Andrew Brenner was the script editor. Paxton was given much more development and the CGI flashbacks were presented well. However, there were a few Miller-esque with very little alliteration but hey, cut her some slack, people, she's come a long way and learnt from the writing helm of Andrew Brenner. I'm giving this category an **8****/10**.

**8\. Direction**

Greg Tiernan continues to prove that he is a good director with how he handles the shots with the animation and the scenery was very beautiful, especially of the Blue Mountain Quarry and Thomas' branch line. Not much more to say, I'm giving this category an **8****/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, this movie was a huge step up over all three of the previous CGI movies put together and the best Thomas movie yet. Nitrogen Studios ended their visual run on a high note as did Greg Tiernan and Nicole Stann. The music makes you happy that Hartshorne will continue to score for the series and Sharon Miller deserves a little pat on the back too. She's taken advice from the best and so she put together an awesome movie for kids and adults alike. Definitely HIT's greatest triumph by far, they have made better movies as two years progressed but this is one unforgettable adventure. On the whole, this movie gets an accurate rating of **8.6/10**. All I have left to say, see you next year, Arc Productions, and Andrew Brenner, welcome to the world of Thomas!

WHAT'S YOUR RATING?


	25. King Of The Railway (2013)

About a year has passed since _Blue Mountain Mystery_ was released in the US and the UK, which was well received among fans. This ended many things for the franchise. Nitrogen Studios stopped animating and Sharon Miller stepped down as head writer. Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon also left the show after Angelis was the narrator for 21 years in the UK since season 3 and Brandon for 8 years in the US since season 7 and 8. About nine months later after the movie, and after six months after _The Christmas Tree Express_ aired during Christmas 2012, the first ten episodes of season 17 aired in June on Channel 5 Milkshake. About three months later, the next feature-length special _King Of The Railway_ was released in the US and the UK on DVD and Blu-Ray. This was the start of many things for the show. Arc Productions started animating and Andrew Brenner was fully on board as the head writer, a position he would hold for the seventeenth season onwards. In terms of narration and voices, the voice acting stayed the same while Mark Moraghan filled in as the narrator for both the US and the UK, something that neither countries had seen in five years since 2008 where Pierce Brosnan narrated _The Great Discovery_. Was _King Of The Railway_ an improvement over _Blue Mountain Mystery_, the best of the Thomas movies by far? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Plot**

The plot for this movie was great, as good as the previous movie. Again, there's a nice prologue, even if it didn't raise the bar for the movie at the start. There is great moral about restoration and learning to be more patient with telling people things you want to tell them. Was that put, right? Anyway, there's not much more to say about the plot but it was a good highlight of the movie so I'll give this category a **9.5/10**.

**2\. Character Development**

The character development for this movie was spot on. The new characters were developed quite well. All of them. Like Luke in the previous movie, Stephen was one of the two main characters alongside Thomas and the movie focused primarily on them. Another new character who I'm fascinated with is Millie. After all the snobbish female characters we've had over the years, Millie happens to be a strong example for young female audiences and it's clear where she has been while the estate still existed: while the Earl was away for so many years, she was kept in her shed and she works well as the Earl's private engine. Speaking of the Earl, he's a funny character, especially in his introduction at Knapford where he didn't realize that the party was for him. That always made me laugh where he says "it's looks like fun but carry on" or something like that. Connor and Caitlan are also great characters to brighten up Gordon and Spencer's rivalry a bit and speaking of Spencer, he plays a great role in this movie and he and Gordon almost had the same rivalry that they did in season 7. The Steam Team all seem about 99% of the the time. Percy is his inquisitive self and Thomas seems wiser than before in the HIT series. James' vanity seems to have been outdone by HIT, especially at the part where the three engines are arguing over who's going to take the train. Emily seems back in perfect character from the development she has had in the CGI series and Toby seems to be wise again. Edward, too, but I said about 99% of the time, didn't I? One part that I didn't like about Edward's character was that he was one of the engines who came to the SteamWorks to see Victor when he should have been out working. But, hey, he said that he did want to see Stephen for himself. It's nice to see Jack back but the reason why he never appeared after this, I'll never know. Also, I don't like how Thomas told Stephen about the surprise when he was instructed not to? No story without that, right? Diesel also seems to be in character under Andrew Brenner's reign. I think I'll give this category a **9.5/10**.

**3\. Narration/Voices**

The narration for this movie was outstanding. Mark Moraghan brings fresh new life into the series and he really sounds like he has fun with recording for the movie. I'm glad he stayed on board for the series after this. The voices were good but I never saw the US version of this movie so I can't judge those just yet. On the whole, I give this category a **9/10**.

**4\. Visuals**

For a start to the Arc Productions animation era, I'd say the animation was good here but not spot on like Nitrogen Studios. The contrast was a bit faulty and I knew this from just looking at the trailer back in January 2013. Arc got better as they progressed with the series. I give this category a **7.5/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

I really liked the score for this movie. Robert Hartshorne and Peter Hartshorne continue to bring the charm that they did in the two previous movies. As for the songs, they were a bit weak as compared to the previous movie. I did like reprise of _Working Together_ but the other two songs _Searching Everywhere_ and _It's Gonna Be A Great Day_ needed slight tweaking. so I'll give it give this category an **9/10**.

**6\. Length**

This movie had a great pace to it. It seems as the characters were engaged within the story throughout, especially Thomas and Stephen and the characters who played smaller roles. I give this category an **9****/10**.

**7\. Writing**

For Andrew Brenner's first movie, at least as head writer and not as script editor, I have a lot to talk about. It's hard to believe that, after Sharon wrote movies for four years, he seems to have topped her in a year. He bought the best in each character, except for that part with Edward at the SteamWorks and Thomas spilling the secret to Stephen. Ah, well, it's his first movie and I'll cut him some slack for that. A part of the script that really got me engaged was the following conversation between Toby and Gordon:

_"Henry's broken down."_

_"Don't tell me he needs special coal again."_

_"No, Gordon. That was solved years ago."_

I leaped for joy at that part and I always do when watching it. Toby played a great role there and there was common sense after Percy was asked to pull the train and Emily and Toby exchanged the following:

_"But Percy's not strong to pull a heavy train..or whatever it was."_ (sry there. I don't remember all of what she said)

_"I'm just a messenger."_

Toby's character was outdone there from how it was over the past nine years and it's a shame that he only got one limited role in season 17 and had nothing to do with _Tale Of The Brave_ but I'll get to that in my next two reviews. Back to the movie, one part after Percy arrived at the docks and was corrected by James that HE would pull the heavy train, Percy said that Toby told him it was his train and what James bought back some sort of a S15-esque moment:

_"Toby? Since when does he tell other engines what to do?"_

I don't think that was a big deal. Probably just Andrew Brenner diverging James into a more of the vain engine he was in the classic series. The climax was great and Jack's part in rescuing Thomas and Stephen bought back some season 6 nostalgia. Emily bringing Henry to the SteamWorks bought back some season 7 nostalgia and it truly defines her kind and helpful character that writers between S13-16 helped her to become once more. I especially thought that the mention of a ruler named Kind Godred was a good reference to the RWS. I'm giving this category an **9****/10**.

**8\. Direction**

Rob Silvestri works pretty good as a movie director for Thomas, even if I liked the way Greg Tiernan directed the series with how the animation a bit better. Not much more to say, I'm giving this category an **7****.5****/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, this movie was another great triumph from HIT Entertainment, especially with Andrew Brenner at the writing helm. It was a small step-up to _Blue Mountain Mystery_, though it would have been better if Rob Silvestri put in a little more effort on the animation. Not too much criticism there but he did a better job the following year. There a few problems with the movie that I've explained within my review so you can look back at that if you want see what they are. Also, if somebody finds the US version of the movie, please tell me where I can find it. Thank you very much. On the whole, this movie gets an accurate rating of **8.8/10**. One last thing to say, I'd welcome a few new people to the world of Thomas, Andrew Brenner, Mark Moraghan, Rob Silvestri and all of Arc Productions as a whole. You're all destined for great things and will do great things as the series progresses on.

WHAT'S YOUR RATING?


	26. Season 17 (2013-2014)

About nine months have passed since the positive reception of _Blue Mountain Mystery_ and six months since the negative reception of season 16's _The Christmas Tree Express_, ending Nitrogen's reign of Thomas as well as Sharon Miller's writing helm and narration from both Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon. In April 2013, five season 17 episodes were released early in the US on a DVD called _Railway Mischief_ and two months later, the first ten episodes of season 17 aired on Channel 5 Milkshake, followed by the positive reception of _King Of The Railway_ in September and five more episodes in October. One more aired in November, followed by four more in December. The last six episodes of the season were released direct-to-DVD in March 2014 in the US and the UK on a disc known as _Spills &amp; Thrills._ The seventeenth season continued from where _King Of The Railway_ left off. It was the first season for Arc Productions to animate the show and Andrew Brenner's first season as head writer. Several writers from season 6 and 7 came back to the writing helms too after 10 years. While Robert Hartshorne stayed on board with the score for the episodes and Sam Blewitt continued to write songs for the series, Mark Moraghan returned since _King Of The Railway_ to support the returning voice cast, becoming the first narrator for both the US and the UK since _Ringo Starr_ for the first two seasons and that was about 22 or 23 years ago. Was the seventeenth season any improvement over season 16, or the CGI series as a whole? If you wanna know my answer to this, read and find out...

**1\. Kevin's Cranky Friend**

Wow, this was a great way to start off the series. Probably HIT's best opener by far, making the best opener to a series since season 6 and 7. Kevin and Cranky are both in character and so is everybody else, though it's a rarity that you'd see Henry being one of the impatient engines at James' side. The characterization out of The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt was great, especially the part with the cabbages and the conservation between him and Cranky:

_"I'm working as hard as I can, sir."_

_(cabbages drop)_

_"I can see that." (cabbage in his hand)_

Salty's joke about Cranky get getting any crankier and dark clouds coming always gives me a chuckle and so does the part with the chickens. Though there were a few characterization errors. Why would Cranky blame Kevin for the incidents when Kevin tried to help? And I don't like his attitude towards him at the start either. No story without that, right? Don't worry, Andrew Brenner. I guess that's just how Cranky is and it was nice to see him own up, thought it was a quick way for him to do so. It was a good triumph to start off a new era and a nice expansion upon Kevin's character, not to mention that the great moral was just how Salty put it.

_Deep down someone beats a heart of gold._

That said, I think I'm gonna give this episode an **8.9/10**.

**2\. Scruff's Makeover**

Second episode in and it's alright. The music was nice and catchy and the moral was nice and clear: _you don't have to worry about your appearance_. There were also Sharon Miller-esque moments with the alliteration but that's just Andrew Brenner building his writing style up from a good one to a great one. The scene at Tidmouth Sheds with the big engines bought back a bit of nostalgia from _Trouble In The Shed_ though, like the previous episode, there was a three striker but no big deal there. Not annoying like S9-16. Enough said, it's an enjoyable and definitely a good way to expand upon Scruff's character so I'll give it an **8.1/10**.

**3\. Wayward Winston**

Wow, three characters introduced by HIT all get a lead role at the premier of the season? This is new and this episode was a very funny watch. Definitely a slight improvement over the last episode. The characterization out of Winston is great, though you do feel bad for him when he's being teased by the other engines. :( The chase scene was great, nothing like _Old Iron_, but still great. And we've also had some great lines out of The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt:

_"Thomas! Stop that inspection car!"_

That always made me laugh and I always liked his concern when saying _"Stay where you are, Bertie!" _And when Bertie replies: _"Okay. I wonder for how long?" _And Gordon when he says _"looks like little Winston is heading for BIG trouble."_ I really enjoyed this episode, though it's not a firm favorite for me. It's an **8.5/10** for me.

**4\. Gordon Runs Dry**

Best episode of the season yet and this time, HIT seemed to have outdone Gordon's character by bringing back this philosophy that _tender engines don't shunt_. It brings back some S1 nostalgia where he last saw that philosophy. Another thing, I don't know why Percy is working as a pilot for the big engines when I thought that back in season 2, he was past that job to work at the harbor but I guess since Duck hasn't come back yet, there's a good reason for him being there. Anyway, I liked the comparison between local trains and express trains. The exchange for that matter between Thomas and Gordon was great:

_"Express trains don't fetch their own coaches. We are too __important."_

_"Local trains are important too."_

Great job there, Andrew Brenner. And Paxton played a pretty decent role, not being gullible but this time warning Gordon about running dry. It was a very good episode and the best Gordon episode since season 11's _Gordon And The Engineer_. Something I said about the Gordon episode in my S16 review but Gordon's been getting great episodes since the previous season up till now and this is no exception. Though not my favorite of the season, it's definitely in my top 10 and that's a reason for me to give it a **9/10**.

**5\. Calm Down, Caitlan!**

Another great episode, thought not really on par with the previous one. You would have thought Caitlan should have known better than race through the island like that after being instructed not to but that's just her type of character that makes her so endearing, isn't it? Also, there was no punishment from The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt for what Caitlan did but maybe because she's not one of his engines. I don't blame Percy and Henry for letting Caitlan take their evening trains because they didn't know that she was going to cause that much of a disturbance, did they? Enough about that, it's a great watch and there's a nice clear moral on considering others so I'll give this one an **8.8/10**.

**6\. Steamie Stafford**

Second week in, here we go. Now, where would a series be without it's weaker episodes? I mean, come on. Just take a look at this one. There was a reasonable concept of the comparison between steam engines and electric engines, but Stafford wanting to puff steam? Seriously? It helped the moral of being great the way you are but still, he should have been his own work as an electric shunting engine. Maybe it would have been better if he was doing his work while trying to be a steam engine. It was a weak story, weakly written, weakly paced, it wasn't my cup of tea. The _puff, puff, puff, puff! chuff, chuff, chuff, chuff! whoo whoo!_ It was not too good of an episode and the worst episode of the season. However, it still beets _Wonky Whistle_ or _Pop Goes Thomas_ anyway so I'll give it a **5/10**. It was the only episode of the season that I consider at a weak storytelling front.

**7\. Henry's Hero**

Quite good for a Henry episode. Probably his best since season 7. _Big Strong Henry_ and _Henry's Health And Safety_ were good episodes and _Henry's Happy Coal_ was an okay one but this tops over all three of them. Henry and Hiro play really good roles and have great chemistry on screen together. Hiro teaches Henry how to keep on puffing and it brings back some sort respect towards Henry if you ask me, even if he's not really a Steam Team like lots of the others. However, it's nice to see that HIT has gone past the mistake with special coal and this time some of the bad coal got into Henry and Hiro's boiler. A lot of you guys say that Duck had no purpose of being here but it was nice seeing him, though it was very limited screen time for him. Let's get something straight: Duck was not shoehorned into this episode. That was what happened in season 12 where he and several others were just there for fan service. Here, he's just going to get some of the clean coal, that's all. I found this episode a bit difficult to analyze when I first saw it, but after a few watches, I came to enjoy it, even if it is in my Top 5 least favorites. Enough said, this episode gets an **8/10**. I look forward to seeing what else HIT can do to expand upon Henry's character.

**8\. Luke's New Friend**

Awww, what a cute episode this was. A sweet and simple moral about belonging to a particular place that probably brings us the best episode of the season yet. When I think of this, I see nostalgia from _Blue Mountain Mystery_ from Luke getting a lead role and the music at the beginning sounds a bit like that music cue from _Day Of The Diesels_, my favorite one too. Rheneas played a great role in helping Luke realize that the quarry is no place for a deer. There was also no name given to the deer, which also makes sense. Definitely tops over all of the animal episodes that we've had in the recent years, even if I was worried about it at first. I like the explosion SFX as well. Skarloey's advice for Luke to bring the load of gravel to Ulfstead Castle was a great way to define his wise character. On the whole, it's a **9.3/10** for me.

**9\. The Switch**

Almost on par with episode but not exactly. However, it still fared very well and it's definitely one of the season's highlights. Luke and Millie go great when you put them both together in one episode, though I don't get why The Thin Controller/Mr. Percival didn't appear to make arrangements with The Earl and was just mentioned. I also think that they could have known better than they did at their new jobs but I guess that's just the character flaws they went through to become great characters. On the whole, I'm giving it a **9.1/10**.

**10\. Not Now, Charlie!**

This was good for a Charlie episode because I can totally get why no one took him seriously about an elephant being on the line, though it was nice seeing Harold taking action. It did a little repetitive after a while though but the ending shouting "_yikes_" after the elephant sound was a good chuckle. It was very nice to see Charlie actually doing some work and being a hero so I had some sort of respect for Charlie from this episode, even if I didn't have much against him from his debut. I give this episode a **7/10**.

**11\. The Lost Puff**

It seemed as though season 17 was off to a bit of a slow start during the summer of 2013 but than the third week at the end of September and boy, were we all excited? Toby was finally going to get a speaking role this season and I think this episode lived up to what I expected it to be. It was the best episode of the season yet. There was plenty of humor in it, especially with the ducks, which always made me laugh, but I feel that the workers would have better things to do than go around chasing ducks. The character development was spot on, especially from Paxton. It's just putting his gullible personality to the test and Toby played a great role. He was exactly his wise self, especially at the end, and I like his joking nature from saying that Thomas _lost his puff_. It's a darn shame that it was his only speaking role this season but HIT's probably just being careful with his character and therefore underusing him like they did for Edward for the first half of the season. It's a great watch and it definitely deserves a few more views here and there so I'll give it a **9.4/10**.

**12\. The Thomas Way**

Wow! Another great episode? No way! Duck makes his official return to the series and his introduction helps kids to get to know about him and his origins. Plus, it's his biggest role since season 6 and his first lead role in 19 years since season 4's _Fish_. I loved how they used Duck's real name. That was just pure gold. Plus, Thomas and Duck have great chemistry on screen together. We should definitely have more episodes starring the two of them. I didn't really didn't mind how Rocky lifted Duck from one side of the track to the other and I somehow felt good about Misty Island being boarded up. In terms of writing, the script was great but Duck doing thing the Great Western way, well, it first bought back some season 2 nostalgia but than it got a little annoying. However, I could tell by the title that there was going to be that _Pop Goes The Diesel_ reference. There was a bit of a three strikes; first, the Great Western way part, than the part at Knapford, well, that was kinda my least favorite part of the story where Duck loses trust in Thomas but it builds up some tension between the two leads and than three strikes was where Duck didn't listen to Thomas about the tunnel but in the classic series, Duck was kind of that character who always wanted to do things his way, right? Anyway, it was good seeing Duck showing remorse and the part where the two of them made up really made me smile. They haven't really had much connection since Duck's years on the show so I'm glad that they got an episode together. The ending was what I particularly liked, especially how Thomas and Duck compare ways of doing things and end up having a good laugh over it. A great episode and a better way to return Duck to the series than that smaller role he got in _Henry' Hero_. It's another **9.4/10** for me.

**13\. The Phantom Express**

This one was a lesser achievement. I really liked the plot idea but I expected it to be much spookier, nothing like _Ghost Train_ but more of like _Scaredy Engines_ or _Halloween_. I liked the spooky atmosphere of Ulfstead Castle and Percy and James have great chemistry on screen, with Stephen bought into the mix. I also liked Thomas at the beginning from how he rolls his eyes at James' stories. But the crash could have made more sense. Where were the drivers? They could have stopped the crash or at least have been mentioned to apply the brakes before it being too late. I liked the part about The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt arranging a ghost hunt and knowing that ghosts don't really exist. Another great example of how James lets his cheekiness get the better of him, though it's a new start for him with how Andrew Brenner develops his character. On the whole, I give it an **8/10**.

**14\. Percy's Lucky Day**

This was another awesome episode. Best of the season yet. We've been getting great episodes in the third week and it's no wonder, after a three and a half month absence, there has been some serious improvement on season 17 and the entire TV series as a whole. Percy and Stephen have another episode together, though Percy takes a bit more of the lead here. The music does wonders and so does the script, though I didn't like that one part with the pumpkin on the line. Though Stephen played a great role with his logic on lucky charms and guess who also played a great role, or, as plural, GREAT roles? That's right, our favorite tank engine twins BILL AND BEN! WHOOOOO! Thanks, Andrew! Duck and Bill and Ben are your favorite characters and they're all back on the show now. It's no big deal that the twins have big wheels and they are both perfectly in character, especially their interactions with The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt and the bickering at the end. That always makes me laugh.

_I didn't!_

_You did!_

_No, I didn't!_

_You did!_

_(Sir Topham Hatt groans)_

Very funny and I felt the frustration there too. It's a great watch for me, especially with the sweet and simple plot that is perfectly suitable for kids so I'm giving it a **9.5/10**.

**15\. Bill or Ben?**

Another great episode! Wow, HIT! You're really taking advice from this new writing team, aren't you? Bill and Ben are again, perfectly in character, and I can sort of get why Thomas was there, though another Steam Team member could have easily taken his place, like Edward who could have explained who Connor was and than called to Bill and Ben to stay out of mischief as they raced off. Speaking of Connor, it's nice to see how he starring in a major role after Caitlan starred in one earlier this season and his interactions with the twins are great like for example:

_I can't race you, Bill. It wouldn't be fair. I'm much too fast. Maybe if I only used one piston._

I loved Connor's sense of humor and it totally brings life into the character. The near collision between Connor and Henry was beautifully animated and the character development out of The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt after that part was great:

_I don't know how they do things in the mainland, Connor, but safety comes first on MY railway_. _No engine is allowed to pass through a red signal._

And then his reaction to Bill and Ben afterwards. Oh, boy. These writers nowadays know exactly what they're doing with the characters on the show and the plot reminded me of _The Diseasel_, except with Connor taking BoCo's place. Victor's interactions with Bill totally defines both of their characters and the interactions between Ben and Kevin where Ben forces Kevin to get him a new coat of blue paint always made me chuckle, especially where Ben threatens to tell Sir Topham Hatt and I like how Kevin wouldn't do anything without Victor's consent. It gives him more common sense as a character.

_"…when VICTOR wasn't there."_

Very nice excuse for Kevin allowing Ben to be repainted and when Victor got back and the twins ran off, both blue, the groaning from Victor was another chuckle for me. One last thing, the ending. I liked it but it made the episode feel rushed. It just ended with Connor racing off and Bill and Ben receiving no comeuppance for their actions, even though a follow-up to this episode would have seen that and have been a perfect replacement for _Steamie Stafford_. Nothing more said, it's an awesome step-up to a great season and so I give it a **9.5/10**. I was disappointed that airing stopped again after a week but happy at the least that more great episodes would follow by Christmas at least where they belong.

**16\. Too Many Fire Engines**

Oh, my god! Another great episode? No way! This was the best episode of the season yet and it was released during the right time too, during Guy Fawkes Night. Belle and Flynn both played great roles and the music, especially at the beginning, really sounds enthusiastic and sets a steady tone for the episode. I always found the part funny where The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt is showing the Railway Inspectors his fire engines and describing Belle's fire hoses:

"...a_s you have already seen demonstrated,__…_ (clears throat) _…Belle._"

Though I did feel sorry for Belle and Flynn when the Railway Board questioned why the Island would need two firefighting engines but Sir Topham Hatt's excuse of it being a big island was written very well into the script. I felt sorry for Flynn when he stayed at his shed during the firework party but happy for him when he came to the rescue in the emergency. The fireworks were beautifully animated and I loved the dialogue between Thomas and Stephen at that point:

"_Cinders and ashes!_"

"_You mean gunpowder and chemicals. That's what fireworks are made of!_"

There is still a bit of alliteration from "fiery" Flynn but it was annoying at all. It's just his catchphrase. It was an awesome episode and my favorite by far, particularly because of the writing and the character development out of Flynn, not to mention a great moral about not having too much of someone in a particular field so I think this one deserves a **9.6/10**. It was that awesome.

**17\. No Snow For Thomas**

And so we come to the Christmas episodes of the season, something that got me really excited from just seeing the _Santa's Little Engine_ DVD cover. This one seemed better than I thought it would be. When I first read the description, I thought it was going to be a remake of _Thomas, Emily And The Snowplow_ from season 8 and it is kind of is, except with Emily having her true persona. I'm really glad had bought her back to her season 7 persona and it's nice to see how Annie and Clarabel had warmed up to Emily after being taken by her in season 7. It's also nice to see that Edward finally gets a speaking role in this season and he seems in character too. The music at the beginning was very catchy and so is the music when it starts to snow. It just comes to show how much fun Robert Hartshorne is having fun with doing the score, especially for Christmas episodes like this. As for emotions, you feel Thomas' boredom when he has to stay in his shed and you feel for him when he's stuck in the snow and gets into trouble with The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt. It's nice to see the consequence that Thomas gets by clearing the tracks for Emily and that he finally learns his lesson about his snowplow, hinting some maturity about it in the future. The ending scene with Sir Topham Hatt's hat falling off was quite funny. It's another great watch so I think I'll give it a **9/10**.

**18\. Santa's Little Engine**

This one was also very good, though not exactly on par with the previous episode. I had plenty of good laughs but the episode does have a few cons. I felt very sorry for Wintson when he was rejected by The Earl as a sleigh and speaking of The Earl, I didn't like much how his character was handled here. He was way too bent on the whole sleigh situation that he almost got The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt hurt. However, I did like how he mixed up with Santa Claus with Sir Topham Hatt:

"_The sleigh has gone downhill with Santa Claus…I mean Sir Topham Hatt inside it._"

That always made laugh and I like how Sir Topham Hatt says he filled in for the real Santa before, giving his _ho ho ho_. It was a fun episode to watch, though I expected to be better than _No Snow For Thomas_ and probably with a little more action. It was still a funny episode, especially the ending with sort of a season 3 reference of "Thomas the red-nosed engine." However, I expected this episode to be more something like Thomas delivering presents on Christmas Eve or something like that. On the whole, it's an **8.8/10** for me.

**19\. The Missing Christmas Decorations**

Favorite episode of the season, hands down and probably HIT's greatest triumph by far. I loved the opening shot with the Sidney ornament and it's so nice to see Diesel 10 make his TV series debut. I also like how Andrew Brenner hasn't forgotten Sidney. I looked forward to seeing him officially come into the series from hearing about the episode's supposed original title _New Wheels For Sidney_ from the Wooden Railway item. The _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_ reference was a nice touch as well.

"_Yeah, twinkle toes. You look great up there."_

Diesel 10 is also perfectly in character for his TV series debut. I was so excited to seeing him in the series from hearing about the episode for the PBS Kids TV slots. His devious character was outdone and so was Paxton's, who eventually decided against his scheme to steal Christmas decorations from the Steamies. I loved the mention of garland, a term that I learnt from watching this. The chase scene was nice, almost like _Old Iron_ and bought back a few memories of the chase scene from _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_. I liked the mention of the Steam Team because I had a good feeling about it for some reason. But the part of the script that really bought a smile to my face was that Thomas said that "_Sir Topham Hatt likes ALL his engines._" I really like that because it settles the steamies vs diesels confrontation a bit and it shows that Sir Topham Hatt doesn't take sides with either one of them. Plus, seeing that the diesels got decorations was a nice touch and it adds to the part on the _ALL his engines_ thing. Just a very few animation nitpicks about this episode and that's how some of the engines were lined up when they got the DieselWorks. They were sort of mixed around a bit and the part where the Steam Team was mentioned, Toby was present like he was when they got to the DieselWorks. I don't get why he's treated the least important member of the Steam Team but as much as I love Percy's characterization here, he's already gotten two episodes this season and as much as this episode would have also gone great with engines like Edward or Emily in the lead, I would have given the spotlight here to Toby to make sure that he's more recognized among the new writers. Anyway, enough about that, I love the episode regardless, especially the part with Paxton near the end...

"_Hello, everyone. What's the occasion?_"

...and the Day Of The Diesels reference.

"_It's been about two years._"

Great job, Andrew. Great job. What a middle finger this episode is to Sharon Miller's eight-year reign as head writer. This episode tops over every episode from the past eight years all put together. It's my favorite Christmas episode of the season and my favorite Christmas episode of the series by far. The plot does remind me of _How The Grinch Stole Christmas_ with Diesel 10's characterization but _How The Diesels Stole Christmas_ would have been a nice pun on the story. Dr. Suess would have been proud of this if it would have included that pun in the title. The episode itself is like a nine-minute _Day Of The Diesels_, only more exciting, especially with the chase scene. HIT's greatest episode yet, best episode since either _The Fogman_ from season 6 or _Gordon And Spencer_ from season 7 so it's a **9.8/10** for me. It was that awesome. I'm glad it got a Milkshake airing on Christmas Day because that was the perfect time to air it.

**20\. The Frozen Turntable**

Another good episode and a nice way to end the Christmas episodes for the season but it did have a few problems. Gordon's character development was the main concern. The episode itself was just so focused on Gordon's selfishness. Sure he was like that in the first season but I thought he'd matured by now. And you feel so frustrated with him and so shocked that he would do such a thing like neglect his friend Percy just to sleep in Tidmouth Sheds. Besides, there are other sheds for the engines to sleep in, aren't there? Ffarquhar Sheds, Knapford Sheds, etc. You feel sorry for Percy that Gordon would do such a selfish thing. However, I loved Thomas' facial expression after Gordon's remarks on the DieselWorks. It's nice to see, though, that Gordon's selfishness gets the better of him, something we haven't too much since the first season. The plot idea really reminds back of Gordon in that season, _Off The Rails/Gordon Takes A Dip_ in particular. The episode was well-written despite the character development flaws, especially the interactions between Gordon and Sir Topham Hatt

"_Very well then. Percy will take James' coaches and James will pull the express._"

"_But I pull the express._"

"_Well you can't pull it while you're stuck in here now, can you, Gordon?"_

It was especially nice to see how HIT has come to their senses in terms of strength for the engines. If Sharon Miller wrote this, Percy would have been asked to pull the express and there would have been lots of alliteration and _O the Indignity_ would be overused. I especially liked the part where Sir Topham Hatt explains that _the tables have turned_. What great writing. Well done, Andrew. Aside from Gordon's selfishness, I still enjoyed the episode so I'll give it an **8/10**.

**21\. Away From The Sea**

And so we come to the _Spills &amp; Thrills_ episodes, six episodes that were released direct-to-DVD in March 2014 in the US and the UK. It also aired on Australian television in October 2013. For a start, this was quite enjoyable. The music was quite catchy and it was very well written, including the season 6 reference and the mention of sandboxes. It was a great role for Salty, though I don't feel that it's in his nature to be worry about being replaced. I just don't think that Salty's that sort of character but then again, he was worried in his debut in season 6 about working at the quarry. I love Porter and he is my favorite character not only to be introduced by the new team but my favorite character to be introduced by HIT so far. The next few episodes with his appearances show that he is not just there for the merchandising and this is something that HIT has been working on with introducing characters ever since the CGI series started in season 13. On the whole, it's a very enjoyable watch so I think I'll give it an **8.8/10**.

**22\. Gone Fishing**

Second episode in with _Spills &amp; Thrills_ and believe it or not, Harvey's back! The introduction with cranes is a little pointless and doesn't really have much to do with the story but it's not as annoying as the repetitive openings we've had in previous HIT seasons. Porter makes a major appearance right after his debut and his interactions with Harvey are great. And as much as Bill and Ben are in their typical teasing ways, it seems as though they are treated as antagonists in a situation like this where Harvey is picked on. But then again, there is an awesome moral that being different is what makes you special or unique and Harvey has the characteristics here to prove it. It's another great watch so I'll give it an **8.9/10**.

**23\. The Afternoon Tea Express**

Third episode in and I think I found my least favorite of the DVD. It was a fine episode and it had a good script but it was a bit of a three striker, or if not very repetitive. Stephen was a good choice for the lead role and Spencer played a pretty good antagonistic role, though it's sad how, like Toby, it's his only speaking role of the season :(. There was also good characterization out of Stephen at the end when he had a good idea on how to solve the issue with the visitor's tea and the tour. Despite it's problems, I still enjoy it so I'll give it a **7.4/10**

**24\. The Smelly Kipper**

This was a nice episode. The plot elements with James teasing Percy and pulling the Flying Kipper made it seem like a bit of a teaser for _Tale Of The Brave_ but it was still a great episode. James is perfectly in character and his attitude towards Percy at the beginning brings back some sort of rivalry they've had in the classic series which carries on into the following movie. It's also nice to see Porter back for another round after his debut and he has a good purpose for being there. The plot element of James pulling the Flying Kipper is sort of inspired by the RWS story _Sliding Scales_ and the plot reminds me of _No Joke For James_, taking that James tricks Henry into dreaming about the whole Flying Kipper promise. However, one part of the script sort of showed an error in Henry's character:

"_I dreamt that James said he would pull the Flying Kipper for me_."

Really, Henry? Really? You know better then that. But without that part where James told Henry it was a dream and Henry believed him, would there be a story without that? Yes. In another way, there would have. Instead of focusing on James' self-centeredness, it could have instead focused on him pulling the train regardless of how smelly it was and the episode could show his fears as he pulled the train throughout the night. Nevertheless, it's to see how Sir Topham Hatt/The Fat Controller is setting consequences for his engines whenever they cause confusion and delay. It's a very good episode and as much you feel shocked at how James' character was handled to slightly become more antagonistic as the series went along, you feel happy for him at the end when Sir Topham Hatt sends him to the wash down. Overall, it's an **8.6/10** for me.

**25\. No More Mr. Nice Engine**

Another great episode here and the best one since _Gone Fishing_. Hiro and Diesel are in character and perfect for the protagonist and antagonist respectively. And you know who is also in character? Edward! Yep, classic Edward here. I'm surprised he wasn't the main character. If that were so, than I think Toby would have had his characteristics in this episode. But than Edward would have been told off by The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt first and the controller knows Edward better than to biff trucks. Enough about that, Hiro was a fine choice for the lead role and Edward played a great role here in telling Diesel to be gentle with the trucks. Though, as Toby rarely had any screen time this season, he would have gone off just as well in Edward's place. I like how Hiro handles trucks and the kind and gentle moral is used very well. Now onto Diesel. His character is really getting better and better with the new writing team because they know just what to do with his character. Thomas is not just shoehorned into this episode but he plays a pretty decent role, even if another engine would have gone off just as well in his place. I really liked Sir Topham Hatt's reactions near the end when he says "_you have caused confusion and delay…and terrible trouble to my trousers!_" A great episode and it ended perfectly with Diesel getting his comeuppance. Overall, it's a **8.9****/10** for me.

**2****6\. Thomas' Shortcut**

And now we come to the final episode of the _Spills And Thrills _DVD and the final episode of the season overall. And it's just great. A great way to end off a season and my favorite of the direct-to-DVD episodes. I knew it was going to be great just from reading the description. The episode itself is a modern classic and Thomas and Bertie are perfectly in character. Just the two characters for the lead role. I also loved the interactions between the two of them along with Annie and Clarabel at the beginning:

"_Get a move on, slow coach. Or you'll be late."_

"_Just ignore him, Thomas."_

_"He's just teasing."_

_"But you're not slow coaches."_

_"He's not talking about us."_

Boy, that makes me laugh every time I watch it. And than we come to Thomas and Bertie at Dryaw Station and the scenery brings back season 1 nostalgia. I don't really mind Percy's inquisitiveness about rerouting, even if it's uncertain how many races he's had lately with Harold but I love Edward's logic. He explains the term just how it is and he's the perfect character to do it to, though Toby would have worked out just as fine if he was near Tidmouth Sheds conferring with the other engines. When I first saw this episode, I thought it was a little careless and irresponsible of Thomas to go through his branch line and cause an accident just to find a shortcut but after a few watches, I realized that he didn't really know what he was doing and that he wasn't incredibly stupid like he was from S9-16. You feel sorry for him at the end when he has still till dark and receives a telling off from Sir Topham Hatt but happy that Bertie is willing to take his passengers home for him. This episode is like a modern continuation of _Thomas And Bertie/Thomas And Bertie's Great Race_ and if an episode were to have Percy and Harold having a race, hopefully it would bring back the same nostalgia from _Percy And Harold/Percy Proves A Point_. We should definitely haven more rail vs road episodes as the series progresses. It's a great watch and ends off a brilliant season with a bang. That's why it's a **9.4/10** for me.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, the seventeenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ was not only the best CGI season yet or the best season that we've seen yet out of HIT Entertainment, but with the new writing team aboard, we probably have some of the best episodes than we've had in over twenty years. The stories are simple and the morals are awesome and understandable for kids. I don't think I've seen any storytelling this strong since the sixth season and that was 11 years ago. Yet, it happens to slightly transcend that season with it's visual splendor as well as stronger writing and character development.

Going onto the character development, it was great. The stories bring out the best in each character and though I was disappointed that Edward and Toby didn't get lead roles this season, it seems that for now, their wise personalities are stronger in small doses. I was quite disappointed that Rosie and Stanley didn't speak once this season. I hope that HIT doesn't keep this up or else they'll just turn to be merchandising characters who are just there to make the Island feel more industrialized. I hoped that the narrow gauge engines would get more episodes this season after having a great comeback the year before but they shined while they could in this season and it was nice to see more development out of Luke and Millie in those two episodes. The Steam Team seemed to have been outdone here. They all got great episodes, Thomas in particular whom I've gained back tons of respect for, and Edward and Emily have returned to their true personalities. However, one thing that disappointed me was that Toby only got one speaking role this season and that irked me a bit since there were many places in this season where Edward was and Toby would have gone off just as well in but I've explained that all in the review so if you're curious of what I'm talking about, you can go ahead and look back at my review. Now, onto Porter, our newest character. Like I've explained, he's a great character who was very well thought of by the new writing team and he has a great personality too and a great purpose for being introduced. He's the best character that has been introduced in ten years since season 7, making him HIT's best character by far.

It was sad to see Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon leave, but Mark Moraghan is a great replacement and it's nice how he is a narrator for both the US and the UK, something we haven't had in since season 6 and 7 and fully since the first two seasons. He sounds a lot like Michael Angelis and it sounds as though he's having lots of fun of recording with the episodes. He just has a lot of enthusiasm for the series. The voice actors also sound a lot better with the writing that is presented this series and Robert Hartshorne has just gotten better with the score for the episodes. As much as Mike O'Donnel and Junior Campbell are missed, Hartshorne is doing his best to make up for their exit from the show and he's succeeding very well. Sam Blewitt has written two good songs for this series but I prefer the songs that he has sung for movies somehow like _Blue Mountain Mystery_ and _Our Tale Of The Brave_ for example.

Now about the writing for the season, Andrew Brenner is a great writer for the series and he adds plenty of humor to the series. We knew he was going to be great just from hearing that he was the head writer for the _Jack And The Pack_ series and that he wrote magazine stories that were adapted in though S3-5. Writers have also returned from seasons 6 and 7 and after ten years, they have not lost touch whatsoever. The writing is so good for this season that every fan probably feels that Thomas is in safe hands with Andrew Brenner and his team. They've written better stories than Britt Allcroft and Sharon Miller put together, making this the best season since the first two series in the 1980s. Definitely my favorite season since than so I give it an accurate rating of **8.6/10**. I'm looking forward to seeing what _Tale Of The Brave_ and season 18 would offer us in 2014 and you'll find out what I think of that very soon. Hope you all enjoyed this review. It's probably the longest review I've ever written. Peace out and make sure to look at my favorites and least favorites lists below and leave comments!

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. The Missing Christmas Decorations

2\. Too Many Fire Engines

3\. Percy's Lucky Day

4\. Bill Or Ben?

5\. The Lost Puff

6\. The Thomas Way

7\. Thomas' Shortcut

8\. Luke's New Friend

9\. The Switch

10\. Gordon Runs Dry

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Steamie Stafford

2\. Not Now, Charlie!

3\. The Afternoon Tea Express

4\. The Frozen Turntable

5\. Henry's Hero

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	27. Tale Of The Brave (2014)

About a year has passed since the seventeenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ aired on television, opening to a generally positive reception and was considered to be the best season of the shows in a long time. I had to agree of course. Anyway, six months later following the DVD release of _Spills &amp; Thrills_, the last few episodes of season 17, Arc Production's second feature-length special, as well as Andrew Brenner's second as writer, _Tale Of The Brave_ aired in the US and the UK, showing in VUE Cinemas during that summer. Five episodes of season 18 aired early five months before. A range of new characters were introduced and Percy was bought to the forefront for the second time since _Day Of The Diesels_ three years before. In terms of narration and voices, Mark Moraghan continued narrating in the US and the UK while both voice casts stayed on board by his side, though I feel that this will be the last time that Thomas' voice from both countries will be consistent. Robert Hartshorne continued to score the film with his son Peter for the fourth time. With Percy back in the forefront, did _Tale Of The Brave_ fair any better than _King Of The Railway_? If you wanna hear my opinion, read and find out...

**1\. Plot**

The plot for this movie was awesome and probably the best plot we've had for a movie so far. The concept of being brave is great, as the movie really focuses on the key characters learning to be brave. This is a better Percy movie than _Day Of The Diesels_ and I'll explain why in the next category. The Steam Team seemed to have been expanded upon despite most of them having them small roles, though it's sad that Toby was never featured. :( Enough said, this movie had a very touching ending and the climax was great so I'll give this category a **10****/10**.

**2\. Character Development**

The character development for this movie was pretty good, though I don't feel some of it is as strong as the last two movies. The only reason for this is the fact that most of the new characters didn't make much contribution to the plot. The only one who actually did was Gator. He's a great role model on kids who are like Percy and are learning to be brave. It was sad to see him leave at the end but great to see him back during Christmas in season 18. As for the other new characters, well, Marion and Timothy are great additions to the series and you'll learn to like them just from meeting them at first. Reg, on the other hand, is another decent character but, again like the other two mentioned, he doesn't have enough to do with the plot for the movie. :( Anyway, I loved the characterization out of Bill and Ben. It seems that after all the trouble they've caused in season 17, Sir Topham Hatt starts thinking better of them after they save Thomas from a landslide, a moment of season 3 nostalgia from _Heroes_. However, it's a shame that Rosie and Stanley never spoke once and made typical cameos after seeing them in the trailer. That was where I thought that there would be more development out of them but instead, there was more development out of the Steam Team (except Toby :(:(:(). Nothing wrong with that of course (the Steam Team part).

Now onto how the Steam Team was handled. The most characterization we saw out of these characters were Percy, Thomas and James, ranked in number from highest to lowest. I think that Percy makes a great protagonist in this movie and he has certain characteristics that Sharon Miller would have incorporated into Toby to give him his own movie. I also like how when no believes him about the monster, he stands up for himself and tries to explain what he saw. Nothing that we saw in _Day Of The Diesels_ where he let the diesels "roll" all over him (get it, because engines have wheels) and take him for granted. It was nice to see Percy mature by the end after rescuing James. Thomas, on the other hand, works a great deuteragonist for the first time in three years. And his character development is the reason why I have gained much more respect for him. As the main character of the franchise as a whole, him looking out for Percy and putting James in his place by making him apologize to Percy would make a better impact on kids watching the show. You also feel sorry for him when Percy gives him the silent treatment as much you feel sorry for Percy when no one believes him about the monster.

Now onto James, well, as a favorite of Andrew Brenner, I like how he was given a bigger role than he was in the previous movies, but I am surprised how his character was handled. He was about a mix between the tritagonist and sort of the antagonist of the film as a whole. This antagonist behavior of his would sadly carry on into about a few episodes at the start of the eighteenth season. His attitude towards Percy is nothing for kids to look up to. He's almost like a typical teenage older brother to Percy but on the other hand, I do feel sorry for James in a few cases. Yes, a good time where his cheekiness towards Percy got the better of him was where he was asked to take the Flying Kipper at night, and to top that off, you understand what it's like for him to be scared of Gator and derail in a similar matter that matches a certain S15 episode: _James To The Rescue_. You also feel his frustration when being laughed at by the other engines when in reality, if the story revolved around him, he would have the nature to play a trick one of them and show them how it's not always easy being brave. But taking his frustration out on Percy? Well, I understand why he'd want to do it because Percy probably told the other engines about his accident or probably Edward since he took Rocky to the rescue him and what was the part about the writing there: _"Not because of what happened to James"_? Why would Percy even be that happy if James had an accident? That always confused me but I feel that Percy and James have had this sort of rivalry over who is braver before the events of the movie. Who knows? But that part of the script I'll get to more later because it's confusing. Anyway back to James, my pity for him had been blown away once the part with the scrap monster came and the part at the sheds where no one believes Percy instead shifts sorrow onto him. So much emotion and feeling packed into one movie, eh? Anyway, James was just his cocky self through the next majority of the movie but sometimes I don't know whose side to take when Percy doesn't accept James' apology until the very end. Maybe James was just doing as he was instructed to and wasn't very sincere until the events of the climax. It was good to see all three engines friends again at the end.

Finally, onto rest of the Steam Team. The one who I want to talk about next is Emily. She seems to be in perfect character here. Looking out for Percy and putting James in his place as well as the other big engines when they tease Percy. She's either a motherly and a big sister figure to the other engines in the shed and I really like that side of her. It brings her into more depth than she was even in season 7. Though I think sometimes that she did have one season 8-esque moment when she teased James for being scared of Gator and getting into an accident. I would have probably given that part to Thomas, who enjoys being cheeky to engines like James, and instead have Emily trying to get the other engines to stop laughing at James like she did for Percy. I don't know what you guys think but James was treated quite unfairly at that scene and Emily should have looked out for him like she did for Percy at the sheds, no matter how cheeky James was towards Percy. It's just not in her nature to tease James like that and more in her nature to look out for her friends whenever they feel distressed. But then again, this carried on into the season 18 premiere episode so it mustn't have been THAT bad. Enough about that, Edward's next. He's in good character here from how he and Henry assure Percy that there are no such things as monsters but at one point, and this was before Emily stood up for Percy, I could have sworn that I saw Edward laughing with the big engines. Maybe just a teeny little smirk from the part about "spikes and teeth." I think Gordon and James should have only had this sort of teasing behavior since they started the teasing and Henry I don't mind too much but the fact that he supported Edward's point of view in the next scene, well, maybe he and Edward did find the idea of monsters funny but I would have had neither of them laugh over it. Now, Toby, he would have made a great role in this movie, giving Percy support as engines like Thomas and Emily have but sadly, he was completely forgotten about this movie. :( Enough said, the character development in this movie was great. Just some parts about some engines, like Percy and James, being mistreated that's all. I think I'll give this category a **9/10**.

**3\. Narration/Voices**

The narration for this movie was just as good as _King Of The Railway_ and the seventeenth season. Mark Moraghan continues to give us his all and I'm really glad that he stayed on board for the series. As for the voices, I have a little bit more talk about here. I preferred the UK version rather than the US. I feel that the UK dub seemed more enthusiastic and Teresa Gallagher was much louder than Jules de Jongh when she said "stop it! That's enough!" The screams from Percy and James were also better in the UK dub but the US voice actors did their bests too. On the whole, I give this category a **9/10**.

**4\. Visuals**

The visuals in this movie have improved vastly since it's predecessor. The contrast was much better and the shots were beautiful but one thing though: how did James get back to the sheds before Percy? And how did Percy turn the mail train around when heading towards the sheds? No big deal so I'll give this category a **9/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

I loved the score for this movie. Robert Hartshorne and Peter Hartshorne at their bests again, especially the opening and ending tunes. As for the songs, _Monsters Everywhere_ was dark and spooky and totally set a good tone for the movie. It was nice to hear Robert Hartshorne sing. Sam Blewitt also never fails to impress with his voice. I love the song _Our Tale Of The Brave_ and it sets more of a sad tone for the movie that makes you feel sorry for the two main characters. The music where Percy passed Thomas and gave him the silent treatment and Thomas' expression makes it seem like a real friendship breakout and this was music that bought a tear to my eye when I first saw it. Now, for _Let's Be Brave_, well, it had a nice steady beat to it but the lyrics could have been put together a lot better. Enough said, I'll give this category a **9/10**.

**6\. Length**

Like the previous movie, this one had a great pace to it. The movie gets more and more exciting as the it builds up with character development so I think this category deserves a **9****/10**.

**7\. Writing**

For Andrew Brenner's second movie, it was just as well written as the previous one. There were was plenty of depth in the film's main characters and plenty of funny lines too. Like for example, at Brendam Docks when everyone meets Gator and Thomas introduces himself:

_"I like __being called Thomas._"

"_Or…should we call you Sandy now._"

Salty really made a funny there, didn't he? And when Thomas was suspicious of Bill and Ben at the clay pits:

"_Hey, Bill, Ben. Can I ask you a __question?_"

"_You just did, Thomas_."

And then how the twins show shock at Thomas' question.

"_WE risked our boilers for YOU, Thomas._"

"_That's right, we could have been caught in that landslide too._"

"_Yeah…what he said._"

It really shows how much compassion Brenner has for the tank engine twins. I also like the references that are used, even though the _Up, Up And Away!_ reference was needed that was still delivered well. Now, onto classic series references, there was one line from Gordon after the opening credits that I really loved:

_"You can say that, again."_

It's kind of a season 2 reference where Bill and Ben play a trick on _Wrong_ Road, something that he still shows some sort resentfulness towards them over. A reference to _Thomas In Trouble/Thomas Breaks The Rules_ were funny and surprising and added in at the right time too. So was the reference to _Percy Takes The Plunge_ at the climax. You know what's also cool. The part where Henry teases James about saying that he is _"meant to deliver the fish, not throw them back in the water"_ was quite similar to season 5's _Something In The Air_ and that's where I immediately thought of that episode. The very beginning of the movie reminded me of the RWS book _Thomas And The Twins_ and it's to see some continuity on how well Thomas knows the twins and their tricks:

_"I know all about Bill and Ben and their tricks, Timothy."_

Very good writing here, even if still not perfect so I'm giving this category an **9****/10**.

**8\. Direction**

Rob Silvestri has improved in his direction since the previous movie and many of the shots are beautiful, especially the opening shots and the scenery at the Clay Pits. The guy's a very good direction so I'm giving this category an **8/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, this movie was a good step up to _King Of The Railway_ and the best Thomas movie yet. It was action-packed, dramatic and suspenseful and it was packed with character development and plenty of emotion, even in parts where you feel sorry for the film's three main characters: Thomas, Percy and James. The score was great and the songs were very well put together, though I still like the soundtrack from _Blue Mountain Mystery_ best. I was surprised that a movie with Percy in the lead and not Thomas managed to surpass every movie from the franchise in it's past and all the voice actors are their bests, even if I prefer the UK dub rather than the US dub. Like the seventeenth season, there was plenty of humor packed into the movie as well and I was excited after this to see how season 18 would fair. On the whole, this movie gets an accurate rating of **9/10**. Best Thomas movie yet and I can't wait to see rather or not _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ would fair next year. Maybe an engine other than Thomas or Percy could get the lead role. Like for example, James or Gordon or maybe even someone out of the Steam Team. I'm writing my own James story titled _James' Splendid Adventure_ if you want to check that out. It's still in progress but I'm working at it. Thanks for reading everyone and please make sure to leave comments. One other thing: please tell me whether or not you agree with me on the part where I mentioned Edward and Emily slightly out of character. Thanks again guys!

WHAT'S YOUR RATING?


	28. Season 18 (2014-2015)

About a year has passed since the positive reception of both _King Of The Railway _and the seventeenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ which started many things for the show. During April 2014, five episodes were previewed on a Walmart-Exclusive DVD known as _Trouble On The Tracks_. This was a preview for season 18 which aired later during the late summer of 2014, coinciding the release of Arc Productions' second feature-length special _Tale Of The Brave_. About everything was the same for season 18 as it was the last season. Mark Moraghan continued to narrate with the voice cast by his side while Robert Hartshorne continued with the score. A few characters also returned to the series. Seeing how well the previous season has improved to give the series a boost since the 1990s, was the eighteenth season any improvement? If you wanna know my answer to this, read and find out...

**1\. Old Reliable Edward**

Wow! First episode in the season and it's so great. Best opener to season ever! It really seems like the new writing team have taken their time with bringing Edward into the spotlight and now we have Edward in his greatest moments since season 2. It's almost like a retelling of _Edward And Gordon/Edward Helps Out_ from the characterization out Edward and Gordon and bringing Thomas into the fold is great. The episode was very well-written, especially the use of the term _mixed-traffic_, though one small nitpick from both the writers and the narrator was that it stated that _Gordon was pulling the express up Gordon's Hill_ when it should have said _his hill._ Speaking of the express, it's nice to see Gordon hauling more coaches. It really proves his strength and it's a great addition from Arc Production. Anyway, back to the characters, the main characters are faired very well, especially Edward, though sometimes I don't get why Annie and Clarabel were laughing at Gordon for being stuck when it's stated in season 1's _Down The Mine_ that they have "great respect for Gordon The Big Engine." Ah, well, maybe it wasn't that big of a deal and the writers did it just to maintain Gordon's role as the antagonist of the episode. Same reason for Emily teasing Gordon, though Percy, James or Henry also could have had that part since Emily's more of a kind engine who looks out for her friends. Anyway, Edward and Gordon maintain the same rivalry that they've had in season 1 and Thomas is his cheeky self, especially with the expressions that HIT have given him. I also like how he manages to speak back at Gordon for calling Edward old and unreliable:

_"You're not going that fast yourself, Gordon."_

You do feel a little sorry for Gordon when he was stuck on his hill and got teased by the other engines for mistaking the red trousers by for a red signal but you know deep down that it served him right for his attitude towards Edward. I quite liked the race between Thomas and Gordon and I guess the results of it were okay if neither of them took any passengers across the Island. Thomas getting Gordon stuck on his hill seemed like payback time for what Gordon did to Thomas in the pilot episode. Then Edward comes back into the fold and reminds Gordon that he is too old and unreliable to push Gordon up the hill. We have seen a bit of a sarcastic nature of Edward here but again, it was shown in season 2's _Cows/A Cow On The Line_ at the very end so I can't complain about that. It's really nothing to complain about because it does nothing to hurt his character. He's just reminding Gordon about how rude he was to him and gives Gordon time to learn his lesson before he promises to never call him old or unreliable again. Than comes a few more chuckles when Edward gets to push Gordon up the hill.

_"And w__hat do you say?"_ (peep peep)

_"O the indignity…"_

_"Sorry?"_

_"I mean…thank you. Thank you, Edward."_

Those lines were put together well and give me a chuckle each time, even it comes by surprise but then it's so memorable, isn't it? It was an awesome episode and definitely Edward at his best since _Edward's Exploit_. There is a great moral from how the audience can learn from Gordon about saying thank you and from Edward about not letting others take advantage of you. Enough said, I'll give it a **9.9/10**.

**2\. Not So Slow Coaches**

Another great episode, though not actually on par with the previous. The relationship between Thomas, Annie and Clarabel brings back memories of _Tank Engine Thomas Again_ and it's season 1 adaptation. I really love the lines at the beginning:

_"He's doing it again, Clarabel."_

_"I agree, Annie. Much too fast, much too fast."_

_"I can hear you two."_ (chuckling)

That always makes me laugh. Plenty of humor packed there. The fact that Thomas is cheeky to them and going much too fast and then much too slow is really funny too. After that, Thomas has to take some empty trucks to the quarry and Caitlan comes into the story too. This is all getting a little interesting and Charlie's joke seemed a bit better than before. However, more laughs come in once Caitlan started puling her coaches along with Annie and Clarabel. They wonder if Thomas is back already but then they see Thomas who is calling out of them and Caitlan whistles, so Annie and Clarabel realize that they are not not being pulled by Thomas after all. They have funny interactions about whether or not it helps to keep their eyes closed and than Caitlan stops at Wellsworth Station and challenges him to a race.

_"How about a race to Ulfstead Castle?"_

_"Please say no, please say no."_

_"You're on!"_

_"NOOOOOOOO!"_

Such funny writing there. I really enjoyed it. A few thing though: how could not have noticed Annie and Clarabel before coupling them up to Caitlan's coaches? There wouldn't have been a story if that happened. And how did Hiro get Thomas' coaches back so quickly like 10 or 15 seconds after Caitlan crossed the bridge to the mainland? Anyway, the ending was nice with Thomas resolving issues with his coaches and it was funny how they commented on how fast he was going right after saying that they'd never complain again, ending with all of them laughing. It was a nice episode, despite a few problems, so I'll give it an **9.1/10**.

**3\. Flatbeds Of Fear**

Two great episodes and now we have the worst episode of the season. From reading it, I could see similarities from _Percy And The Monster Of Brendam_ and it was sort of based off that episode, only slightly better written. Other than that, it was repetitive and I didn't really like the characterization out of Henry. It was nice to hear Emily's season 8 theme again but the _reasonable explanation_ part got very, very repetitive. The UK version was slightly more spooky with the SFX so I can't fault this episode too much. It's decent so that's why I give it a **6.8/10**. Could have been much better but I wasn't expecting too much out of it.

**4\. Disappearing Diesels**

Much better episode. Paxton and Diesel are both in perfect character for a protagonist vs antagonist comparison and I like the premise about Paxton having lots of friends. I especially like the interactions between Paxton and Cranky.

_"Look, Cranky. I've bought your favorite again. Heavy stone."_

_"Oh, Paxton. You shouldn't have."_

Andrew Brenner also handles Diesel's character very well of "not being an easy engine to be friends with." Though I do feel sorry for Paxton when the other diesels hide on him, though it was just a joke and it's nice to see that they are his friends since they were concerned about him. So the episode carries on and I found an animation error: children standing over the level crossing. That's really dangerous and hopefully kids won't learn to do that from Arc's visuals. Anyway, more laughs came with the part where Diesel hid behind Reg and did an impersonation of him. Now that way funny and so was the exchange between the two diesels:

_"No! I'm a truckload of sausages!"_

_"Sausages?"_

And so then we come to the part where Diesel runs out of fuel and Paxton helps him. That truly defines the two characters and so does the ending where Diesel doesn't feel like saying thank you. He would have done that, had Sharon Miller written this episode. The facial expression of Diesel putting away his smile was funny and well done by Arc. Great episode with a great plot, great character development and great animation, despite the one mistake from the level crossing. I also preferred the US version than the UK version because of Diesel's voiceover work. Overall, it's a **9.5/10** for me.

**5\. Crossed Signals**

Second least favorite episode of the season but slightly better then _Flatbeds Of Fear_. I was so excited about Toby getting a lead role since he only had one speaking in season 17 and rarely appeared in _Tale Of The Brave_. However, I was a little disappointed. He is still out of character but compared to S9-16, at least he's being wise here about signals. He is bullied by the likes of Gordon and James which is not fair because of how little screen time he has had if you ask me. However, I do like Henrietta. It could have explained how she had been given a face like we were promised that an episode would show us that it's nice how she looks out for Toby. Her expressions to make James apologize were spot on. Even though I don't like how Sir Topham Hatt doesn't believe Toby about the signal, the part where his assistant whispered in his ear and he realized that Toby was right was quite funny. However, I didn't like how neither Stanley or Rosie spoke after making numerous cameos. Either of them could have been the lead instead of Toby. Enough said, it's a good watch and it teaches kids about being careful with signals and learning them so I think that this one deserves a **7****/10**. Could have been much better if Toby wasn't so scared or maybe if there was a different protagonist.

**6\. Toad's Adventure**

Oliver makes his official return after cameoing in _Tale Of The Brave_ and the previous episode and now, Toad's back as well. And I'd say he's in character but I don't know about Oliver. The writers need to know a bit more about him than to just make him so conceited to neglect Toad with his story of his scrapyard escape. Speaking of that, I loved the season 3 reference but I feel that it was just there for fan service since Douglas wasn't mentioned and didn't even appear. Ah, well. It helped to put the episode together and the runaway scene reminded me of season 5's _Busy Going Backwards_. But Toad already had an adventure in that episode so that's a continuity error. Unless it's an adventure which he tries to forget about. It's not explained how the branch got on the line but that's no big deal. James was pretty much in character. He was a jerk at the beginning but as the story continued, he was just full of himself, that's all. He seemed very hospitable towards Toad and this is something I'd like to see more in his character towards others. It's too bad that the Scottish Twins didn't return alongside Oliver and Toad. Douglas was the reason why Oliver's story even came into this episode. It would have been nice if Douglas got a mention. On the whole, it's another great watch. Just a few faults as explained above. The voiceover work is brilliant and Joe Mills is a great addition to the voice cast. Overall, it's an **8.5/10** for me.

**7\. Duck In The Water**

What I mainly have to say about this episode is just…well…it's just brilliant. James and Duck are both perfectly in character, especially their interactions at the beginning:

_"It's a shame you've been stuck with a goods train but I suppose someone has to pull cars."_

_"Oh, I thought you sometimes __pulled cars too."_

James and Duck playing the foil to each other, it's awesome. And it's also nice to see how later, James' arrogance gets the better when Sir Topham Hatt comes into the story and that's where more laughs come in.

_"Oh, no. I hope he's not here to give me ANOTHER job."_

And Sir Topham Hatt's reaction to James' joke:

_"Huh! I thought ducks LIKED being in the water."_

_"James!"_

Such priceless expressions there and the ways that both voice dubs delivered them were spot on. So the episode carries on and James continues to be impatient as he rushes Rocky to the state of emergency and we get an element from the RWS story _Crossed Lines_ from _James And The Diesel Engines_ when the signal was knocked over. Then we get to see more of Oliver and it's just great. Thomas is nowhere to be seen and Sharon could have easily put Thomas in Oliver's place if this episode were written between S13-16, which it doesn't have the mediocrity to live down to. Anyway, it's nice to see some different kind of characterization out of James in the end when he owns up for the accident and shows more maturity by agreeing to pull Duck's truck until his firebox dries out. It's a great episode and James' greatest episode since season 8's _James Goes Too Far_. Therefore, it's a **9.4/10** for me.

**8\. Duck And The Slip Coaches**

Best episode of the season, hands down. Duck and James are perfectly in character and, like the previous episode, manage to go well on screen together with the rivalry that they maintain. There is a great premise and plenty of chuckles to be had, especially where the swimming falls all over Sir Topham Hatt. I couldn't help but laugh at how annoying James found Duck and his stories. Definitely relates back to _Pop Goes The Diesels_ where the big engines grow tired of Duck's stories, only here James was the only one affected by them. It was so nice to see Duck in Tidmouth Sheds for the first time in years since season 7 but you do feel sorry for Emily, especially after how her character was handled in _Tale Of The Brave_, that little joke at the _Emily replaced Duck_ might offend Emily fans but it's not that big of a deal to me. Just a joke to shut those journalists up. Sir Topham Hatt could have arranged for her to sleep somewhere else, maybe even her old home Knapford Sheds but if that happened, there would have been no joke right? Anyway, enough about that. Back to the episode itself, I loved James' attitude towards Duck at the sheds and how his arrogance increases as the episode moves along. First, he informs Sir Topham Hatt about the slip coaches and what he knows about them, even if not much, and you feel sorry for Duck when he doesn't get to claim that it was his idea and confused that the engines congratulate James for the idea even though they know it wasn't his. Maybe for the fact that he started the whole slip coach ordeal and saved the railway conflict, his friends felt happy for him. I really like the voice acting of the slip coaches, and speaking of the slip coaches, they're a great idea to add to the series since they seem realistic in actual railway life. Overall, it's an awesome episode and probably HIT's greatest triumph by far. The only problem I had with it was that Duck had his #8 while on the Great Western railway and this is a small animation mistake from Arc. Not too big of a deal, it doesn't save the episode from being so outstanding so I'll give it a **10****/10**. Definitely my favorite episode from HIT Entertainment and the best I've seen since season 6's _The Fogman_ and up to part with it too.

**9\. Thomas The Quarry Engine**

Not actually on par with the previous two episodes but for my first S18 watch from the _Trouble On The Tracks_ DVD, I gotta say that I was impressed. It has a very interesting premise with Mavis working in the quarry and wishing to see the rest of Sodor and that gave her the right attitude to put Thomas and Diesel in their place from bickering. Speaking of Diesel, he is, again, in perfect character and the fact that he mentions diesels being "revolutionary" was a great reference to _Pop Goes The Diesel_. The trucks also work great as antagonists but why would Mavis leave Thomas at the quarry with all those trucks? She must have a clue that Diesel's a schemer though the two of them were on the same side in Mavis' season 3 debut. However, she should have known better then to leave Thomas on his own like that. But without it, there would be no conflict, or even a story. The runaway scene was brilliantly animated and bought back memories of the classic series and how well the runaway scenes there were directed by David Mitton. Would there have been an ending without Sir Topham Hatt scolding all three engines instead of Devious Diesel. I mean, I bet he relies on Mavis a lot nowadays to be in charge of the quarry but rebuking Thomas was understandable since he left without a back engine. Now that was just clumsy and more of Percy behavior if you ask me. I mean, trusting the trucks to behave? Come on, Thomas. You're wiser then that nowadays aren't you? Enough about that, the episode was pretty good from the way it was written though again, I prefer Diesel's voiceover work in the US dub then the UK dub. And why did Mavis wear balloons? Where did those come from? Anyway, despite the few flaws that the episode presented, it didn't have to be perfect from the way it was thought of and I enjoyed it anyway so I'm giving this one an **8.8/10**.

**10\. Thomas And The Emergency Cable**

This was a good watch. It teaches kids about the importance of emergency cables and the necessary time to use it. You feel sorry for Annie when she develops her flat tire and frustrated with the man for pulling the emergency cable at an unnecessary time. Though at one point, the guard sounded a lot like Sir Topham Hatt and that must have been a voice acting mistake. A plot mistake was Annie having a flat tire when in the description, it said that Clarabel had one. I did have a few laughs, like how the bird watcher's reason for pulling the emergency cable was delivered

_"I saw a rare bird and got excited."_

And the reaction of all the passengers when they are cramped around the man. Now that was just funny. Though it was quite irresponsible for Thomas to not stop at the station. May be a little lessons to younger children who wish to grow up and be engineers that you must stop at every station and it's very important for railroaders in early stages of engineering to see that. You really felt the lady's frustration there and the exchanges between Thomas and Annie at the end were very funny.

_"Thanks for getting me a new wheel, Thomas. But how did you manage to get one so __quickly?"_

_"I told him it was an emergency."_

Boy, that makes me chuckle and it adds plenty of humor to the episode too. On the whole, this was another good episode with an important moral so I give it an **9****/10**.

**11\. Duncan And The Grumpy Passenger**

Well, well, well. What do you know? Duncan's back for the first time in six years since season 12. This is a good way to return him to the series but I liked the Christmas episode better. I loved the shots and it's so nice to see so many locations back since season 4. The episode itself has a great moral of not being able to please everybody but it was definitely in Duncan to do and act the way he did. He's not actually adventurous like he was in the HIT series but not rude and resentful towards others like he was in S5-7. He was in his season 4 persona but this time, he tries to make the grumpy passenger stop complaining. Not much to say, it's a great return for a great character and that earns it an **8.8/10** in my book.

**12\. Marion And The Pipe**

Bit of a boring episode. Marion's a nice character and I liked her interactions with Bill and Ben but she's also quite bumbling and she should have had more common sense just to do what she did at the beginning. I just don't know. This episode was not a favorite of mine. It was a good episode but it was so sluggishly paced. It was mysterious though and Thomas played a pretty good role being the wise character he is. There's just not much more to say about this episode so I'll just end by giving it a **7.1/10**.

**13\. Missing Gator**

Best episode of the week so far. There were some really nice references to _Tale Of The Brave_, even if it almost seemed like an advertisement for the movie. There was also a good reference to _King Of The Railway_ and I loved how, instead of immediately having an episode about Gator coming back, we have Percy getting over the departure of his old friend, a feeling that pays off later on in the season. There was a little rhythm but again, not as annoying as S13-16 and the music while Percy kept himself sounded beautiful. It was a very touching episode and teaches viewers how to get over the absence of those you care about because it's just like Salty said at the end

_"One day, he might come back."_

Enough said, this episode gets an **9****/10** in my book.

**14\. No Steam Without Coal**

Another good step-up and a great way to see some development out of the four key characters: Timothy, Bill, Ben and Marion. It doesn't really make sense that Timothy is the only "oil-burning engine on Sodor"unless if you want to forget about the Logging Locos. Timothy has great characterization and you do feel sorry for him when he is teased by the likes of Bill and Ben and you feel for the twins when they run out of coal yet you also feel that they've learnt their lesson to rely on Timothy. I don't see why they can't respect engines they don't know so well but they're really in their classic personas. It really seems though like Andrew Brenner is portraying his favorite characters like James and the twins as antagonists towards other engines but that's his choice I guess. The plot reminds me of _Mud Glorious Mud_ from the _Jack And The Pack_ series only with different and newer characters. Again, Thomas is nowhere to be seen so the fact that he isn't shoehorned into any episode gives me much more respect for the character and his appearances are always necessary for me to gain his full respect back, even if it's not in episodes like this. Now onto Marion; the writers are using more female characters as role models for younger female audiences and that's great. I like Marion here much more then the second episode this week. She's a motherly figure to the twins and keeps them well in order, not bumbling and kind of careless like she was in _Marion And The Pipe_. Enough said, it's a great episode with a great moral about respecting others for their differences and kids could learn this in order to stop bullying in school life so the writers portrayed the message quite well. On the whole, it's a **9.1/10** for me.

**15\. Spencer's VIP**

Best episode of the week by a long shot. Best one since _Duck And The Slip Coaches_. The music and the shots at the beginning were top-notch and well put together and I got a few laughs from Spencer's race around the Island at the beginning. The character development out of everybody was great, though Percy should know what a VIP is by now. That part really confused me but HIT might have done it to teach kids about what a VIP though it's a continuity since Percy has had experiences with VIPs. I loved the writing, especially with the _Services To Transport_ part though I think Spencer pronounced schedule wrong. Spencer's short reactions with Edward bought back memories of _Edward The Great_, especially with the attitude he puts towards him and I liked how signals and the branch line were both mentioned. The part at the Clay Pits with Bill and Ben was hilarious. As much as Spencer deserved his comeuppance for being careless, you do feel sorry for him a little bit despite being an antagonist because he has matured since _Hero Of The Rails_ and it's nice seeing some remorse out of him, being allowed a second chance at the end. The moral of seconds chances was very well-put there. The interactions between Gordon and James at Wellsworth were very funny and quite well-written

_"Oh James! Your poor passengers! You mustn't stop so quickly!"_

_"Well, at least my passengers can stop onto the __platform, Gordon!"_

_(looks back) "Oh!"_

Quite a few chuckles there which increased in the next scene with Duck and Oliver:

_"Oliver! What are you doing on MY track?"_

_"YOUR track? Who says this is YOUR track?"_

_"There are two ways of doing things, Oliver, the Great Western way and…"_

_"…the wrong way! I know! And you're doing it the wrong way!"_

I also got a few laughs out of Thomas allowing coal to pour over Annie and Clarabel. All of the things mentioned above were just priceless and made this episode so great. On the whole, it's a **9.6/10** for me.

**16\. Toad's Bright Idea**

Another pretty good episode here. I liked how the episode took place during the events of _Tale Of The Brave_, even if the part with Percy and Gator checking to see if James was alright after his accident was omitted to save time. It was nice to see the episode focusing on the importance of lamps, though I felt that it was foolish of Gator to leave Toad out on the line like that and why would the shunter uncouple Toad? Would there have been a resolution with it? I don't know. I like the use of terminology like "contradict" for example which supports Toad's persona very well and Oliver when he says

_"See you later, Gator. In a while, um…Toad."_

The part from _Tale Of The Brave_ with James getting scared of Gator was very well put in. This episode is not perfect but it's not really bad in any way but I really like it so I'll give it a **9/10**.

**17\. Long Lost Friend**

Hmm, for a start to the Christmas run for the season, I really like this one. Gator makes an official return to the series and I could tell that he was going to be the "old friend" from reading the description on _The Christmas Engines_ DVD because Percy was mentioned in the plot. You feel sorry for both Percy and Gator when they miss each other and have the feeling that they don't want to see each other. You know what I also found touching? Not just the reunion between Percy and Gator at the end but the reunion between Thomas and Gator. It was funny to see Thomas pass Gator but then he realizes he's there and puts on his brakes. What I did find confusing though was that Owen at the Blue Mountain Quarry knew who Gator was. Maybe Gator worked there before meeting the Steam Team and that could explain it. I quite liked the interactions between Gator and his driver. We haven't had much engine/crew interactions in ten years, have we? It was a great episode, even if not perfect, and it had beautiful music and animation and great voice acting. Despite a few problems with how the story was structured, it was a touching episode so I'll give it a **9/10**.

**18\. ****Last Train For Christmas**

Now, this was a brilliant episode. In fact, I liked how, for the first time since season 3's _Thomas And Percy's Christmas Adventure/Thomas And Percy's Mountain Adventure_, the events are close to Christmas. For once in 23 years, in the UK at least, the story takes place on Christmas Eve, though it's odd since we have two Christmas episodes to follow after this. Anyway, back to the story. Again, I can't fault the animation, except for that part with the mainland station being Crovan's Gate, and the music was catchy and perfect for a Christmas episode. It totally set the tone of the story and kept me going the whole way through. It was nice to Duck and Oliver make regular appearances throughout the season but I found it a bit confusing that Diesel tried using a sense of logic and Sir Topham Hatt almost listened to Diesel before listening to Thomas and Percy. It was nice to see determination out of Connor and Thomas and there's a great moral about being home for Christmas and the effort put in at Christmas time. Best episode since _Duck And The Slip Coaches_. It was great episode with an awesome story and a quite simple yet amazing moral so it's a **9.8/10** for me.

**19\. Duncan The Humbug**

I never got the timing of this episode as compared to the last two episodes. The previous episode took place on Christmas Eve yet this one took place randomly around Christmas time. Maybe Christmas was still being celebrated after the 25th, who knows? Anyway, this an awesome story, almost on par with the previous one. Duncan is perfectly in character, not lacking the capability to work but just a grumpy engine who didn't mean to hurt his friends. I don't get, though, why Thomas was there instead of another standard gauge engine but his appearance was relevant to increase Duncan's jealousy about getting a fresh coat of paint. I loved the shot of the viaduct. It was just beautiful. However, one minor nitpick with the plot was how the summary was handled before the episode's release. The synopsis clearly said that Victor promised Duncan a new coat of paint if he could take on the challenge to stop grumbling for a day yet it was Mr. Percival/The Thin Controller who made that deal with him. Speaking of Mr. Percival, I loved the character development out of him. I got quite a couple of laughs as the episode progressed anyway, like the first shot of Duncan after the narrator singles him out of the Christmas spirit and the expressions of Duncan trying not get cross were priceless. There was a bit of a three strikes near the end where Duncan controls his temper twice but then loses it as he and Luke are stuck on the hill. You can't help but feel sorry for both Duncan and Luke here: Duncan for forgetting to control his temper and Luke for his empty sandboxes and his feelings getting hurt. But it was nice to see a change of heart out of Duncan who manages to help Luke up the hill while his driver drops sand on the rails. That helped get my full respect back for Duncan. I liked his inquisitive nature in S9-12 but I like this even better. There were two outstanding morals to this episode: Duncan to not be a humbug at Christmas and Mr. Percival for accepting his engines the way they are when being really useful. Both characters learned a lesson here and that makes it a great watch for kids and adults alike to raise their Christmas spirits. Almost on par with _Last Train For Christmas_, this is my second favorite episode out of the Christmas run and that gives it a **9.6/10** in my book.

**20\. ****The Perfect Gift**

_It was cold and snow on the Island of Sodor as Christmas DREW NEAR._ It drew near about two episodes ago. I think the Christmas episodes this year are out of order. On top of that, the episode had a decent script but it lacked plenty of action. It was a typical episode about special gifts but I guess Percy was good choice of character. It's a good episode but not as good as the others. It shows us the importance of sharing the Christmas spirit with your friends and you do feel sorry for Percy when he finds that Reg doesn't share the same way of celebrating Christmas as he does. I also think that the voice actor for Percy in the US dub of this episode tried harder then the UK dub did, as I find out on the episode's Boxing Day air date. Not really an average watch and still a good watch despite a few flaws with the pacing. I thought the music at the end was very peaceful though and gave it quite a Christmassy feel. Enough said, I think this episode deserves a **7.5/10**.

**21\. Marion And The Dinosaurs**

Hmm…for a start to the _Dinos And Discoveries_ DVD run, this one was pretty good. A few similarities to _Marion And The Pipe_ but it was quite better then that. I also loved Toby's confused but wise persona in this episode

_"I thought it was SCIENTISTS who dug that up."_

What I also enjoyed were the interactions between Stephen and Millie and how they mistaken Thomas for the important shipment. And then Marion came back into the story when she sees the dinosaur coming towards her. Speaking of dinosaurs, it's nice how the writers, despite the fact that they haven't as good of a job as earlier on the season or maybe even the previous season in some cases, have done plenty of research on dinosaurs and their history as proven from some of the interactions between Thomas and Marion.

_"Dinosaurs? But dinosaurs aren't around anymore."_

_"I know! Dinosaurs lived a very, very long time ago. Millions of years before railways or people or digging was even invented."_

It's a good thing that this history of dinosaurs continues on into the next episode. It's also very funny how Marion shouts _"EEEEEEEEEK!"_ And when Stephen says that _"there aren't any dinosaurs around anymore"_, it reminds me of his little joke about dinosaurs back in _King Of The Railway_, doesn't it to you? What really made me laugh was the Earl's cheer because Marion thought that the dinosaurs had gotten him. Boy, what a chuckle that was. And then we meet Samson but we'll be hearing more about him later on in the review. The funniest part of the script when Stephen's joke at the end

_"Marion certainly isn't scared of dinosaurs anymore. In fact, you could says she really 'digs' them!"_

Always gives me a chuckle. It's an enjoyable watch and is definitely a better way to expand on Marion's character than _Marion And The Pipe_ was. Can't really explain why but I just feel it for some reason. Probably because this has better writing to it. It's an **8.9/10** for me.

**22\. Millie And The Volcano**

Almost on par with the previous episode. The shots and the music at the beginning showed signs for a good episode and it's nice seeing Millie get an episode to herself in the lead. What was more eye-catching were the shots of the Dinosaur Park and the music that helped to introduce it at the beginning is always a pleasure to listen to. Then we cut to Samson and Harvey, who begin some sort of friendly bonding. It's nice to see Harvey back in a speaking role for the first time since _Spills &amp; Thrills_ but his attitude towards Millie is a bit out of character, even because he was a little frightened of the dinosaurs himself. Would there be a story without that? I don't know. Now onto Samson. I like how smart he is, even at defining dinosaurs, like the _Lexovisaurus_ and _Megalosaurus_ for example, but a little silly of him to mix up dinosaurs. Also, Samson's cheeky nature towards Millie might not give viewers a first good impression, would it? Surely there would have been no conflict without that, huh? However, I had a little more respect for Samson when he gives a full explanation on what a volcano is and it definitely raises the bar in teaching younger viewers terminology, even if older viewers know what a volcano is or maybe need a better understanding on how to define it. Back onto Millie, I think she was acting a little bit like Thomas or Percy in this episode. I don't know though about the groundsman setting up a bonfire in the middle of the park but the climax was well put together and so were Harvey and Samson's reactions to the volcano.

_"Call Flynn! Call Belle!"_

_"Call the Sodor Search And Rescue Center!"_

It's also nice to see Samson showing a little bit of a compassion for Millie, no matter what she did to him and Harvey. The Earl may be too kind to consequence his engines the way The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt does but the fact that she's a clever little engine with coming up with ideas probably saved her from getting in trouble. And then Dowager Hatt. Her appearance is more then necessary and the roaring noises from her and Sir Topham Hatt was funny to watch in the trailer and now. The ending was beautifully filmed and that's enough for me. This episode gets **8.8/10** in my book.

**23\. Timothy And The Rainbow Truck**

Two great episodes and now we have a lesser achievement. This surely was no bad episode but not the best one either. It's my least favorite out of the six and I can think of quite a few reasons why. For one thing, kids and adults alike already know who Bill and Ben are but the introduction was probably done to save time, no matter how many chuckles I got out of it. The part with Bill and Ben racing Salty seems very similar to _Bill Or Ben?_ and was therefore a little uninspired but there was still some humor out of Salty's reaction. Then there's a short but rehashed introduction to Timothy before we cut to the chase on the episode's main plot. You'd think that Timothy should know better then to listen to Bill and Ben but there would be no story if he didn't believe them. Bit similar to a certain season 9 episode but it surely _Thomas And The Rainbow_ any day. Writing would be much worse and more of a three striker if Sharon Miller wrote this methinks. The animation of the rainbow-colored objects were eye-catching and surely made up for Timothy's continuous stroll across the Island. This episode seems a lot like a Paxton episode or maybe an episode with Bill and Ben going on a scavenger hunt for the rainbow truck. Sir Topham Hatt's characterization at the end was great and it's nice to see Bill and Ben get comeuppance for their trick on Timothy. "A fool's errand." Sharon herself couldn't have said it no better. Bill and Ben's argument at the end gave me a good chuckle. It's a good watch, though not up to par with the other two or the next three so I'll give it a **7.4/10**.

**24\. Samson At Your Service**

Now this a much better episode. A nice and simple introduction to Samson and a nice way of blending with _Marion And The Dinosaurs_ at the beginning. Samson's a good character but not really as endearing as other characters introduced by the current writing. His characterization here reminds me of Thomas in the first season, Spencer in his debut and a bit of Percy in the second season with his arrogance and lack of knowledge on the world around him. Thomas' cheekiness towards Samson was a great touch.

_"Well, don't get lost on the way."_

And the lineup of Thomas, Percy and Duck reminded me of season 4's _Toad Stands By_. What's really great about this episode is Stanley spoke. However, Samson's arrogance of thinking that he knows what he is doing gets a little repetitive after a while. The part in the script that _tank engines can't pull the express_ didn't make much sense from the writer's point of view but Gordon was the right character to state that philosophy, even he witnessed Duck and Stepney pulling the express in _Bowled Out_. One other thing, Gordon takes Annie and Clarabel and Thomas takes Henrietta? How do you suppose Toby will get the workmen home from the quarry? The writers could have made solution to that like Gordon taking orange coaches. I wish those were in CGI then the solution to Samson taking the express and Thomas, Gordon and Toby all having some sort of transportation would make more sense. Despite that, there is some humor to this episode like Gordon pulling Annie and Clarabel and Bill and Ben's joke about Samson pulling the express.

_"What's this? The new express?"_

I also love the sarcasm out of Bill and Ben and how it dumbs down Samson's character. There was also a bit of season 1 nostalgia when Samson realizes that he bought Gordon's express instead of empty trucks. An indirect but clear reference to _Thomas' Train/A Big Day For Thomas_ there. Sir Topham Hatt's statement again but everybody making mistakes but making more but acting like a know-it-all clearly stated the moral of the episode and this would get across to kids and adults alike. I also loved the stones and express jokes out of the narrow gauge engines at the end. It's a pretty good watch despite a few faults from all that was explained above. I guess that Samson's a like-able character but he needs a little bit of maturing by the time the next season comes around methinks. It's an **8.5/10** for me.

**25\. Emily Saves The World**

Favorite episode of the DVD, hands down. The shots at the beginning with Emily's theme put in was well put together and so were the references to seasons 7 and 9. Yes, they were references to one episode that wasn't all that great and one that was a bad episode and they were there for fan service but they were also there for a good reason: to support the plot of Emily's desire to have a special delivery. But one reference that was just pure gold came from Gordon.

_"Well, umm…I've carried an opera singer on my express and some actors and even the Queen!"_

Now that season 4 reference was well put there and the part that Emily got surprised supported the fact that she wasn't on Sodor around the time that the Queen was there. I also liked the season 6 reference that Thomas made and I guess that the season 14 reference that Emily made was well put there. All these references were there for fan service but they were necessary there. Anyway back to the episode and it's plot, well, it feels like a blend of _Rusty And The Boulder_ and _Percy And The Magic Carpet_ but it's much more well-written then both of those episodes put together, though living to the excitement and exhilaration of the season 5 episode. Yes, the laws of physics are ignored here but I guess that laws can be broken every once in a while. The interactions between Thomas and Emily after the globe rolls off Emily's flatbed are quite funny.

_"Hello, Thomas! If you really want to see an exciting load, just look at this! What do you think? It's great! Isn't it?"_

_"Um...what's great, Emily?"_

_"Can't you see a giant globe on my flatbed?_

_"No. There's nothing very exciting on your flatbed."_

Another humorous part was where the globe rolled behind Thomas, Annie and Clarabel.

_"Excuse me, you two. You might want to hurry it along a bit."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because there's a giant globe heading right for us!"_

Yes, it was similar to _Rusty And The Boulder_ but it was better writing if you ask me. Now onto the giant globe, why is Antarctica missing from it? Arc made a bit of an animation error. Nothing else to fault about the animation, especially James' expression after he hits the giant globe. One last thing, how did Emily "save the world" if Captain was the one that bought it back to the docks. At least he got to speak and be put into action here. Maybe a more suitable title would been _Emily And The Runaway Globe_ or _Emily's Runaway Special_. I don't know but that didn't stop me from liking this episode so much. It's totally my favorite from _Dinos And Discoveries_, even if it has nothing to do with the two aforementioned words, it's a simple story with not much of a clear moral but enough action to make it a favorite of mine and a good episode for Emily too. Therefore, I give it a **9/10**.

**26\. Samson Sent For Scrap**

For a closer, I'd say this is pretty good, though the introduction to Scruff was a bit pointless taken from the fact that he played a secondary role in the episode. However, it's nice to see some more development out of Samson. He isn't really matured yet but his actions are clear enough to teach young viewers to more mindful of the tasks that you are assigned. Yes, there is a three strikes but it builds it to the bicycle then the bus stop sign and then The Fat Controller's car. Scruff clearing his throat during Sir Topham Hatt's worrying statement was a good chuckle. The postman, or at least I think he was or maybe even Tom Tipper, I don't know, reminded me of Pee Wee Herman and the parody from _Family Guy's It's A Trap_ when he kept mentioning his bike. I don't why but that just comes to my mind when I watch this. However, I'm surprised that Reg want to scrap such items that Samson picked up but the character Reg hasn't really had much development to realize that, methinks. I just don't know. Also, confusion and delay is being overused but Sir Topham Hatt saying _my car is definitely not junk_ and him patting it before the headlamp falls off was just funny for some reason and shows his compassion that he always had for his car from the classic series until now. It's nice how the episode focus on the Steam Team whatsoever but instead on newer characters instead. Definitely not my favorite episode of the season but not a bad episode either. It's an enjoyable watch that just needed some smartening up out of some of the characters, Samson and Reg in particular, that's all. On the whole, it's an **8.4/10** for me.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, the eighteenth season of _Thomas &amp; Friends_ was very enjoyable and a good step-up to the seventeenth season. The stories and the morals were, again, simple and understandable for kids. The episodes from _Dinos And Discoveries_ at the end was not as strong as the episodes before it but episodes like _Marion And The Dinosuars_ and _Emily Saves The World_ helped to compensate. Not as strong as _Spills And Thrills_ but still better then S9-16 any day. The rest of the season was just pure gold despite a few problems with episodes like _Flatbeds Of Fear_ and _Crossed Signals_ but episodes like _Old Reliable Edward_ and especially _Duck And The Slip Coaches_ bring the best out of HIT with Andrew Brenner at the writing helm

Going onto the character development, it was great. The stories continued to develop each character to a fair degree, though I feel that Toby could have been handled better in the spotlight and Samson, well, he didn't' leave a lasting impression at first but I thought of other characters in their debut and then I started to think better of him. It's also nice to develop newer characters like Marion and Timothy and bring Duncan, Oliver and Toad. I was expecting Donald and Douglas but you can't have it all, right? Maybe they're next in line to return to the series. You can only dream, right?

Now about the writing for the season, Andrew Brenner continues to amaze us with the stories he writes. He has certainly made this season my favorite in the post-Awdry era yet. Enough said, I give season 18 an accurate rating of **8.8/10**. I very much look forward to seeing what _The Adventure Begins_ will bring us, followed by _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ and season 19. Peace out, folks, and again, make sure to look at my favorites and least favorites lists below and leave comments! Stay tuned for my review of _The Adventure Begins_ in the spring.

**Top 10 Episodes:**

1\. Duck And The Slip Coaches

2\. Old Reliable Edward

3\. Last Train For Christmas

4\. Spencer's VIP

5\. Duncan The Humbug

6\. Disappearing Diesels

7\. Duck In The Water

8\. Not So Slow Coaches

9\. No Steam Without Coal

10\. Thomas And The Emergency Cable

**Top 5 Least Favorites:**

1\. Flatbeds Of Fear

2\. Signals Crossed

3\. Marion And The Pipe

4\. Timothy And The Rainbow Truck

5\. The Perfect Gift

WHAT ARE YOURS?


	29. The Adventure Begins (2015)

About two months have passed since season 18 had finished airing with _Dinos And Discoveries_ and it was during this time that the 70th anniversary of the Railway Series came along and _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ and the nineteenth season were confirmed to air later on in the year. However, we also found out that another movie titled The Adventure Begins would be released in March. Mark Moraghan continued narrating for the movie while the voice cast of the original characters from the first seven episodes ever in both the US and the UK stayed on board except for a few: one being Ben Small as the voice of Thomas in the UK while Martin Sherman, the US voice for Thomas also departed. The original US voice for James, Kerry Shale, departed from the series, replaced by Rob Rackstraw while Joseph May was the new US voice for Thomas while John Hasler was the new UK voice. Peter Hartshorne did the score all by himself, bringing back a few surprises in the process while Andrew Brenner adapted the first two books of the Railway Series into the story. As a possible remake of the first seven episodes of the first season, was _The Adventure Begins_ any improvement over _Tale Of The Brave_ and the eighteenth season? If you wanna hear my opinion, read on and find out.

**1\. Plot**

Well, I've gotta say the plot for this movie was awesome and very well-structured. I love how it is a little different from the first seven episodes of the first season and now that I think about it, those episodes, while at a nice and simple storytelling front, are a little lazy in terms of production. However, there was one issue I had with the continuity for adapting _The Three Railway Engines_ in order but I'll get to that soon. Enough about that, I'll talk more about the story later on in the review. There's not much more to say about that plot but it's definitely a **9.5****/10** for me.

**2\. Character Development**

The character development for this movie was awesome. Let's start by talking about Thomas. Well, let's just say that it's the season 1 adaptation of _Thomas The Tank Engine_ all over again but still, I really enjoy his character here. While it was originally stated that Thomas was the first engine on Sodor, Edward still helped to build it and who knows, Thomas might have worked in a different part of Sodor and just arrived on the railway, before the others arrived. That could also give a bit of an explanation of how Thomas first meets Sir Topham Hatt. Anyway, the way in which he encourages Henry to overcome his fear of the rain was fantastic and a nice touch to the movie, something that wasn't done in the first season. I guess I'm fine with the fact that he arrived on Sodor after the events of _The Three Railway Engines_ because season 1 made it look like he was there from the start but those episodes were out of order at the beginning so it doesn't matter. Anyway, Andrew Brenner with handling his character here.

Next I wanna talk about Edward and I gotta say that his character was outdone here. Seasons 13-16 helped to build up his true persona while seasons 17 and 18 showed his wise personality, sometimes in smaller doses. But here, his character is also expanded from what it was in season 1 and I really like that. I felt sorry for him when he got in trouble with Sir Topham Hatt because he never got in trouble with him before. His interactions with Gordon at the beginning were great and I love how _Edward And Gordon_ was adapted at the beginning.

The next character who I'm talking about is Henry. Instead of being slightly arrogant and similar to Gordon and James like he was in the season 1 adaptation, here it shows his timid persona from the HIT series but I guess I'm used to it by now, as long as he has a good reason for being scared. Somehow, with the voiceover work that Henry has, I can't really see him any different than he is. I also don't mind how it took until the climax for him to overcome his fear of the rain instead of immediately after the events of _Edward, Gordon And Henry_ because these things sometimes take time to overcome. The relationship between Thomas and Henry is also a nice touch to the movie.

Up next, I wanna talk about Gordon and while I do have to say that his arrogant character is really outdone here, again, better than the first season where he was the most pompous. The adaptation of Thomas_ And Gordon_ was very well done here, just as good as the pilot episode, which is one of my all-time favorites. The reason why I'm fine with Thomas surprising Gordon and Gordon pulling Thomas having a little gap in between is because it gives the movie more of a story and Gordon could have planned his idea to get back at Thomas before the coaches were backed up to him. It's a shame that he is the only engine at the end who doesn't congratulate Thomas for his branch line but it starts his philosophy about tender engines not shunting, which might lead to a possible followup or two.

Next I'm going to talk about James. There's not much of him in this movie but I like his character here and how he was in his original black livery. It's also a surprise to see that he arrived on Sodor before Thomas but maybe he was on trial at the beginning and by the time the events of _Thomas And The Breakdown Train_ came around, well, he might have been bought by Sir Topham Hatt but when _Thomas' Train_ led into _Thomas And The Trucks_, well, I guess he was already working on the railway. I'll talk about the chase scene later on the review but this is all I have to say about to James and I hope that if there is a followup, the events of _James The Red Engine_ are used because _James And The Express/A Proud Day For James_ is one of my all-time favorites.

I wanna talk about Sir Topham Hatt next. His character was pretty much done well, especially with his consequences for Thomas and Edward. He does have a railway to run after all, even though Edward meant no harm, just to make Thomas happy. I don't really think there's much more to say about Sir Topham Hatt.

Next up, I'm gonna talk about Annie and Clarabel. I love how before they met him before becoming his coaches and how they were originally James' coaches. It's also beautiful how they took a liking to him before at first because it's very touching. Their role here gives them more of a background, even if it's not explained how they arrived on Sodor.

There were also a few new characters here. I wanna talk about Glynn first. Well, he has a purpose for being there as the original #1 but I don't think it would be in Sir Topham Hatt's nature to leave him a siding to just leave him a siding like that. It makes him feel forgotten and I do hope that he isn't forgotten because the character has a lot of potential. Now onto Jerome and Judy, well, I hope their characters aren't forgotten after this movie either. Like Rocky, they are quick to act in an emergency and, **with a special shoutout to Chris Thomson for mentioning this in his review**, they could clearly be capable to handle duties on the main line while Rocky does so on the branch. The troublesome trucks are also pretty much in character in this movie. I guess that's all I have to say for the characterization here and so I give this category a **9.5****/10**.

**3\. Narration/Voices**

The narration for this movie was top-notch. Mark Moraghan is better than ever and continues to prove how much gusto he can put into the series. He does a great job with reading the adaptation of the first two books for screen and I kind of prefer this over Ringo Starr's way of doing it, no matter how talented the Beatle drummer was towards the show. That's just my opinion, not throwing any eggs or tomatoes at Ringo. Enough about that, now I'll talk about the voice cast. The returning voice actors for the series continued to do a good job. However, I do miss Ben Small and Martin Sherman as Thomas as well as Kerry Shale for James. :( Ah well, let's talk about the new voices for the characters. I'm not used to Joseph May but I guess he does a good job at the voiceover work for Thomas, even he doesn't live up to Ben or Martin, who I feel bought more life into the more mature side of the character. John Hasler, on the other hand, well I could say very much of the same for him. Rob Rackstraw did a good job as the new voice for James but Kerry is the only one that is missing from the character. Anyway, that's all I have to say the voice cast so I'll give it an 9**/10**.

**4\. Animation**

The animation for this movie was outstanding and does indeed have a few surprises of its own. For one thing, I love the shots of the raindrops and the runaway sequence that led to the crash but one thing that really evoked my interest was Thomas' original livery, which looked pretty cool, especially with the 70 on it. Overall, it was a nice touch to the movie and so was James being in his original black livery. Now that was cool and it made the season 1 production look quite lazy indeed. Ah well, that's all I have to say about the animation so I'll give it a solid **10****/10** because it was that good.

**5\. Music/Songs**

The score for this film was amazing, especially the opening titles. It seems as though Peter Hartshorne is taking after his father Robert Hartshorne on how to compose a movie. I really love how he manages to compose songs from the classic series. They are catchy and fit the movie very well. As for the songs, well let's just say that I like the _Really Useful Engine_ music video as much as the original season 4 version and it has a much better purpose for being in the movie than it did 15 years for _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_. That was a great rendition but it came out of nowhere while here, it fit the theme and the film's main character very well. As for _Troublesome Trucks_, well I wasn't a huge one of the season 7 song but I guess this one was alright and it also fit the scene it was included in very well. Overall, this category gets a pretty good **9.5/10**.

**6\. Length**

I don't have much to say about the length for this film. Pacing was pretty good, no matter how much the story plodded through each RWS adaptation and made the next part very predictable. The chase scene before James' accident was pretty exhilarating though and it added plenty of dramatic effect. The length for this movie was good overall so I'll give it an **9****/10**.

**7\. Adaptation/Writing**

Now, it's time to talk about the writing for this film. Well, I just have to say, Andrew Brenner has outdone himself. He manages to adapt two RWS books for the screen very well, even though there was one small nitpick that I felt from how everything was placed in events of _Edward And Gordon_ take place at the beginning, however, later on in Edward's story, it seems as though the events of _The Sad Story Of Henry_ and _Edward, Gordon And Henry_ came before it, when in the RWS, _Edward's Day Out_ and _Edward And Gordon_ came before the two Henry stories. That was just a small mistake and not that bad if you ask me and who knows? If Henry had overcome his fear of the rain by the time the events of _Thomas And The Breakdown Train_ came around, well, Henry's adventure could have come shortly in between the incident on Gordon's hill and Thomas' arrival but I don't have enough evidence to prove that, really. Anyway, there were two scenes that reminded of season 18 and one was in _Edward And Gordon_ after Gordon rolls down the hill and Edward says

"Not even so much as a thank you."

It seemed like a direct reference to _Old Reliable Edward_ and in _Thomas And The Trucks_, during the song, well, the runaway and how it ended reminded of _Thomas The Quarry Engine_. I really liked the mention of Coffee Pots and how Andrew Brenner added Glynn into the movie. The description of a Coffee Pot was a very nice touch as well. What I really loved was how some lines from the RWS were included in, especially from the interactions between Edward and Gordon.

"A goods train. A goods train. The shame. The shame."

And how they went "I can't do it!" "I will do it!" up the hill. It was a great nod to the Railway Series and it proved how faithful the writers could be the stories. Edward's story of Henry being shut up in the tunnel was also added very well and the way that Gordon blocked the events of _Edward, Gordon And Henry_ gave me a few chuckles. The first time I saw the movie, I was confused because in season 1, Thomas was there in _Edward And Gordon/Edward Helps Out_ and _The Sad Story Of Henry/Come Out, Henry!_ and he tried to push Henry out of the tunnel. But now that I think about it, I really wish James was there instead and _The Three Railway Engines_ stories came before _Thomas And Gordon/Thomas Gets Tricked_. James was more suitable as a substitute for The Red Engine since he is bigger and possibly stronger than Thomas. I also now know that Thomas shouldn't have actually been there and neither in _Edward And Gordon/Edward Helps Out_ either. The whole thing should have gone in order and Andrew Brenner did a really good job with convincing me of that. Overall, the script was a work-of-art despite a few flaws and the interactions between Gordon and Sir Topham Hatt could lead to a possible followup, possibly based on _Troublesome Engines_. On the whole, I give the writing for this movie a **9.5/10**

**8\. Direction**

Like always for a Thomas movie, there's not much for me about the direction. There are some beautiful shots from the animation, which were very well done, and the voice cast were pretty much in place, except for a few issues here and there with recasting. Overall, I give the direction for this movie a **9/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, _The Adventure Begins_ is close to being a masterpiece if you ask me. It may not be perfect but now that I really think about it, it does the first few episodes of the first season right. It tells the stories of _The Three Railway __Engines_ and _Thomas The Tank Engine_ in much better splendor and it's so nice to see how much effort be packed into a forty-minute running time, compared to the one-hour length of the previous specials. It is by far my favorite Thomas movie and the story seems as though it's acceptable for theaters. But it's more for fans to help them celebrate the 70th anniversary and remember our first adventures with Thomas and his friends that started seven decades ago. The end credits with the rendition of _Really Useful Engine_ and the RWS gallery was a beautiful ending to such a great film. Overall, this film gets a **9.4/10**. Stay tuned for my reviews of the nineteenth season and _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_, or later on in 2016 depending on whether or not the episodes on _Start Your Engines!_ air before the new year and what order they will placed in. Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing a followup to this movie and discovering what else HIT can do to pay tribute to the Reverend W. Awdry's stories. I have written a follow-up fanfic to this movie called _The Adventure Continues_, based on _James The Red Engine_ and _Tank Engine Thomas Again_, which some of you might know by now and if I get to it, I will write another followup called _The __Strike,_ based on _Troublesome Engines_ and introducing Percy. That's all for now, folks. Stay tuned.

**WHAT'S YOUR RATING?**


	30. Season 19: Part 1 (2015)

(Hi, guys. I've noticed that season 19 is being televised with a little inconsistency for putting it on hiatus without any reason at all. Also, there's a little confusion with it coming before _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ so to get both the season and the movie out of the way, I decided I'll be reviewing season 19 a little early this time round so I can get to _SLOTL_ next and the next batch of episodes to follow, and then the four Christmas episodes and _Start Your Engines_ and so on. Anyway, I give my thoughts on the episodes so far, I must give my usual opening statement:)

About two months or so have passed since season 18 had finished airing with _Dinos And Discoveries_ and six months since _The Adventure Begins_ was released to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Railway Series. The nineteenth season and _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ were confirmed to air later on in the fall. Mark Moraghan continued narrating for the series while the voice cast in both the US and the UK stayed on board except for a few: one being Ben Small as the voice of Thomas and others in the UK while Martin Sherman, the US voice for Thomas and Percy also departed. The original US voice for James, Kerry Shale, withdrew his portrayal of the character, replaced by Rob Rackstraw while Joseph May was the new US voice for Thomas and John Hasler was the new UK voice. Christopher Ragland was also the new US voice for Percy and Nigel Pilkington became the new UK voice. Robert Hartshorne returned to score the nineteenth season while Andrew Brenner and his team returned stayed on board as writers. Was the nineteenth season any improvement over the eighteenth season? If you wanna hear my opinion, read on and find out.

**1\. Who's Geoffrey?**

Hmm, for an opener, this was pretty interesting. Sure it was nothing like _Old Reliable Edward_ the season before but I was looking forward to this one for a start since it was a personal season 19 favorite of mine since the _Whale Of A Tale_ US DVD back in June. Thomas gets the premiere episode for the first time since 2010 and as much better as it is as the likes of _Thomas' Tall Friend_ and _Creaky Cranky_, it's the best opener HIT has ever given the show's title character. The episode itself has an awesome plot and a very strong moral for kids of always admitting your mistakes. The episode itself was quite well-written but not to perfection, somehow I can't the faults about it but there's quite a good script to go with the moral. The animation is great, especially at the beginning with the red balls flying about and Thomas' expressions when doing his Geoffrey voice. Speaking of voices, I have quite a bit to talk about in that category. Mark Moraghan seems to not have lost touch with his narration and most of the cast have not lost touch either. I believe I'm finally settled in to the new voiceover work for Thomas and James but there's something about Percy's voiceover work that doesn't seem too right. Christopher Ragland is an okay choice for Percy. I preferred Martin Sherman as I think Ragland overdoes it a bit. But at the end of the day, it will do and I'll get settled in to it eventually. As for Nigel Pilkington as Percy in the UK dub, well, he's not a bad choice but not the best one either. I did prefer Keith Wickham since he obviously fit the character well. But Nigel Pilkington, I think, will come far soon enough with the character. Maybe by the time _Very Important Sheep_ airs on Channel 5 (that is, if it ever will any time soon), I'll be used to it and same with Christopher Ragland in the US. I thought that the characters were played out quite well, especially Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt and even Annie and Clarabel and even James with his thoughts on Geoffrey.

_"In my opinion, there are already too many red engines on Sodor."_

Very good job with James' character there but I never actually got what Spencer's purpose was in this episode? What was he doing on Sodor? Obviously, there would be no climax if he wasn't there but the narrator could given a little bit of detail on why he was visiting Sodor. Maybe the Duke and Duchess were with him but that was quite obvious and it didn't matter too much to me. Anyway, the climax was played out quite well. I thought that Thomas' voice for Geoffrey was quite funny and added quite a bit of humor to the episode. In the US, it sounded a mix between Kermit The Frog and Pee Wee Herman and I thought of it immediately first time I saw it back in June. As for the UK, well, it will do as well, even if I laughed harder at the US version. Now for the end of the episode, the interactions between Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt were very well put together.

_"Now, listen, Thomas. Only this morning, I smashed Lady Hatt's favorite teapot and you know what I did?"_

_"Um...you told her Geoffrey had done it?"_

_"No. I admitted it."_

There puts the strong moral together and Thomas' guess about what Sir Topham Hatt did always gave me a chuckle. The ending was a little weird though. It could've ended with everybody laughing with Thomas expect for Spencer who just groans but how did the red ball get inside Thomas anyway? That wasn't shown. Despite a few flaws, it's a very enjoyable watch and one of my favorites of the season so far so I'll give it a **9/10**.

**2\. The Truth About Toby**

This was pretty good for a continuer, even if it didn't match up to the previous episode. It's probably the best we've seen out of Toby in the spotlight since season 6's _Toby Had A Little Lamb_. It's nice to see Toby getting another episode to himself and I consider this to be an improvement over _Signals Crossed_, especially Toby's persona since he's not worried about anything and it's nice to see how Gordon and James, judging from they treated him back in the season 18 episode, are showing some concern over Toby. While I believe that the character was severely underused in season 17 and completely forgotten about in _Tale Of The Brave_ and with a bit more development in season 18, it's nice how much Toby's friends are concerned about him. But how could Thomas not have heard Toby ringing his bell? Maybe the narrator could have explained that he was too far away to hear. That would work, wouldn't it? And the fact that Clarabel was facing backwards when she saw Toby at the scrapyard is also a good excuse in that scenario for her to be the only one to hear him. One other thing: how could Edward have heard the rumor twice? He was the one who discovered Toby at the scrapyard in the first place, yet later on, he is shown as one of the engines who are shocked by the news. Ah, well, just a little nitpick. What I did like was how for the first time, each Steam Team member had a speaking role. Something we almost saw in season 9's _Thomas And The New Engine_ yet Gordon wasn't featured in that episode. Now that I mentioned it, I could say that there were some similarities between that episode and this one in terms of storytelling with Thomas spreading the rumor. The only difference is that this one was the season 9 episode done right and at least Edward and Emily were in character here unlike they were towards Neville. Surely Emily's persona at the end is nothing new when she offers Toby some of her coal but it shows how consistent the writers are with handling the characters. Speaking of characters, Davey Moore also seemed to bring the best in the relationship between Toby and Henrietta. It's very relatable for a character like Henrietta, who looks out for Toby like a caring wife would, reminding Toby constantly to fill up on more coal and Toby learns his lesson once he runs out of coal at the scrapyard. It's also nice to see how Henrietta is the only one who doesn't believe the rumor and denies that Toby would be scrapped.

_"No, no, no, just no! My Toby is in fine shape. There's no way he's going to be scrapped!"_

This episode really outdid Henrietta's character after building up upon it from _Signals Crossed_ where her caring motives were used quite rarely at the end. Here it's more consistent and fleshed-out. While the script may not be perfect, it was still pretty good and it did have its moments. For example, the interactions between Toby and Reg are pretty funny.

_"I don't suppose that was a very good idea, Toby."_

_"No, Reg. It wasn't what were you thinking?"_

And especially when Toby shouts out:

_"REEGGG!"_

I preferred Rob Rackstraw's voice for the character though as I feel that William Hope overdid it a bit, especially with the part I just mentioned. Rackstraw seems like a great replacement for Ben Small if you ask me. The voiceover for Reg was pretty good, even it was toned down a bit at the beginning of the episode. Anyway, Sir Topham Hatt's speech near the end was pretty well-written as he spoke out to all of his engines.

_"Quiet, everyone, please. I just want to say, absolutely and categorically that Toby the tram engine is NOT being scrapped."_

I don't mind the confusion and delay part this time around as it was used a little differently but I loved the interactions between Thomas and Toby at end.

_"I don't know how that silly rumor came about."_

_"I know. I have no idea how that got started. What a silly idea."_

Quite a few chuckles there and also a couple more from the constant slight moaning from Toby about his side plates and Henriett's reaction to it too. It was a fun watch while not among the season's strongest episodes. It seems as though HIT's building Toby's true character the way they did successfully to Edward and Emily. Overall, it's an **8.6/10** for me.

**3\. ****Lost Property**

What an amazing episode this was. To perfection if you ask me. Yes, folks, I believe I've found another one of my all-time favorites that is among HIT's greatest triumphs up there with the likes of _Old Reliable Edward_ and _Duck And The Slip Coaches_ and even classic episodes like _Thomas And Bertie_ and _Edward's Exploit_. I can't fault the animation one bit and the opening shots, especially with the Lion of Sodor are beautiful. The episode itself is railway smart and another original plot about returning lost property. Yes, I know we've seen that kind of moral before but it felt quite fresh and new here. I loved the humor in the episode as well, especially Sir Topham Hatt with the paddle ball. That part was hilarious and very well-filmed and the guard's reaction too was also quite funny. Though it did look like at the end that Topham had gotten a black eye from the paddle ball, it was a funny way to end off the episode. More chuckles came when the children were on board Annie and Clarabel and the suspicious expressions from the inspectors were very well done. The way Sir Topham also tried to handle the children was funny.

_"Now, now, young man. Apologize at once."_

_"Sorry!"_

And though this part was a little dangerous, I had to laugh when the little boy pulled the emergency cable. This part expands upon the particular season 18 episode and even though the bird watcher got a scolding comeuppance there, it was here where the kid seemingly got away with it but Sir Topham could have reported to his parents or maybe even the teacher who could have gotten it all sorted out. After all, there was not really anything he could have done to keep them I'm order as his job is actually to keep his own engines in line, as he bears authority over them. It was nothing but a small quibble if you ask me but it's no issue whatsoever compared to the lack of punishment in certain episodes throughout S9-16 and heck, it's nothing that affects my rating for this episode so I'll just let it slide. Back to the episode itself, the characterization out of the inspector with the gold watch was also a triumph. His story about the watch being given to him celebrate 20 years of railway inspection really showed for a purpose for why it was very useful for Thomas to take the initiative in returning the gold watch. Speaking of the term "initiative", well, let me just say that it's an amazing word to teach children and a word that strikes my interest, even though I'm 20 years old and knew what the word meant before this episode was probably even thought of. However, the way the term was described gave me more of a clear understanding on how it is used in a sentence.

_"Ah, that means you worked out how to solve the problem by yourself, Thomas."_

That line was pulled off greatly and ranks among the season's best writing by far. As for the characters, well, I've talked a lot about the inspector and I guess that the watch, which was obviously very important to him to represent his honorable line of work, was a good reason for the railway getting a "_glowing report."_ Man, I couldn't have put that better myself. I feel that Sir Topham Hatt reminding the audience that Thomas wasn't the only engine being inspected showed how much he cared for his railway and even though it seemed like Thomas and Gordon were the only engines who were inspected, there was a large time gap shown by the station clock between the end of Thomas' inspection and much later when he returned to Knapford in time to discover the watch, meaning all the other engines could have been inspected in that time, right? Anyway, Annie and Clarabel, with all the development they've received in the past two seasons, are their faithful selves with how they discovered the watch. The character interactions between Thomas and Gordon were also very well put together.

_"Sir, sir, I need to speak to you right away."_

_"You don't really have to call me, sir, Thomas."_

_"I wasn't talking to you, Gordon."_

Quite a few chuckles there and it shows that Gordon can be full of his own importance with he even gets the idea of being addressed in such a manner but also points out that he doesn't care whether or not his friends do give him that sort of worship, lol. Anyway, enough about that. Annie and Clarabel showing shyness over their mention in the railway report brought a good smile to my face. On the whole, it's a perfect episode that's somehow worth talking up a storm about, haha, and there's something I'd like to compare to _Edward's Exploit_ and it's how much the main character is something to look up to. That was where Edward put his passengers before himself and proved himself to be a hero. Here, Thomas wanted what was best for the inspection and the fact that he went to great lengths to return the gold watch and keep Sir Topham Hatt out of even more trouble, showing true loyalty that is something to remember when under employment. Anyway, what Thomas did, similar to Edward back in season 2, was he put the inspectors, Sir Topham Hatt and even his friends and the entire railway before his branch line, a part of the railway that is very important to him. It comes to show why the #1 engine is one of my all-time favorite characters and my favorite of the eight-core engines, Edward ironically coming in second place as #2, lol. Overall, it's a solid **10/10** that was worth the _glowing report_ I just gave it, haha. That's all for this episode.

**4\. Henry Spots Trouble**

Okay. I admit it. When I first viewed this episode on Whale Of A Tale, I was not quite sold and I pictured it being the season's biggest dud despite a good amount of humor added to it. Mainly because I pictured a mixed reception for Henry's persona (I'll get to my view on that later on the review) and I was perceived by that feeling for quite a while; that was until I viewed the UK version during the episode's official air date on Channel 5 and I have to say, I like it a bit better now and a good reason in particular is because I find the UK dub to be an improvement over the US dub, only for Henry's voiceover work. While that Kerry Shale overdid it a bit, especially with Henry's scream, Keith Wickham was much smoother and was almost to perfection, despite the voice he gave James after the near collision. Please don't ask why but I just think he's done a better job with voicing the character in the past. Just a small mistake not worth going on about, let me just say how impressed I was with the rest of the cast. Sir Topham Hatt's voiceover bought life into the character in both versions and the voices for his grandchildren were also a nice touch. As Thomas, well I'll talk about him at the end of this week's overall conclusions after this. Let's talk about other stuff this episode has to offer. Like the animation for example. It was great, as always, but stumbled in a few areas, especially with Connor running over the paint on the tracks. How could he not seen that? How could he not have even seen the paint bucket fall over? I know it was done to bring the story together so Gordon could be splashed all over but wouldn't it have made more sense if Connor did see it and didn't stop in time? It would've to me. I also felt that the incident with the paint was rushed as it happened in just under 10 or 20 seconds or so and it gave me concerns about railway safety to start with to how careful painters are in terms of preventing accidents. I thought that the incident with Thomas and Butch was played out better, even if it wasn't perfectly animated. I also loved how Henry's sad theme mixed in there. Maybe Robert Hartshorne can keep this up with recycling classic themes. Now onto characterization, I've already discussed what I thought Henry's persona at first but now I realize that it's not really in Henry's nature to be vain or arrogant like Gordon and James but from viewing this episode, the worrisome persona fits him well. Besides, he was scared in things in the classic series like in season 5's _Haunted Henry_ and even RWS stories like _The Sad Story Of Henry_ and _Henry And The Elephant_. Here, he is scared of chickenpox and as much as Percy and Paxton would work just as well in place of a big engine, Henry's a fine choice of character and at least he's not scared of snowmen or worried by Christmas tree boxes. Plus, this persona will carry on later on at Christmas in _The Beast Of Sodor_ so watching this episode makes me excited for the latter. And even Henry's gotten over his most notable fear to start with, there was a good a reference to _The Sad Story Of Henry_.

_"Chickenpox is even scarier then rain!"_

Now, that reminded me of _The Adventure Begins_, playing as a bit of a homage in my opinion. Now onto the other characters, well, Sir Topham Hatt was portrayed quite well here. His statements about chickenpox shows that Davey Moore really did his research and brings another original concept never used before in the series to life. The conversation between Thomas and Gordon bought a smile to my face.

_"Chickenpox? Engines don't get chickenpox."_

_"Even CHICKENS don't get chickenpox."_

Quite some humor there and like I said for the previous episode, it truly plays out Gordon's character well. Followed by Sir Topham Hatt's statement about chickenpox.

_"That's right. Only people get chickenpox. Even for people, chickenpox is nothing to be scared of Henry. Most people get it when they're young and get better very quickly. I had it when I was a child and __look at me now. A strapping fellow; a picture of robust."_

And then came a bit of humor from the character when his trousers ripped. Man, that made me laugh and makes me realize how much I enjoy the episode nowadays. I also enjoyed the interactions between Henry and Paxton at the end.

_"Steamies can't get chickenpox."_

_"I know that now, Paxton."_

_"But maybe diesels can get measles"_

The writers also seem to do things right with Paxton and Henry's reaction to the joke was funny and well played out too. On the whole, it was a good episode that I had slight doubts about upon my first view but now I realize how strong and creative the moral about getting chickenpox is. The humor was also in place, especially with the chickens which I felt was used for comic effect to support the concept of chickenpox. Another good effort from Davey Moore, this episode is an **8.3/10** for me.

**Overall Views So Far:**

So far, season 19 is better than I remember from back in June, mainly because I knew the episodes and their values better from a few more views. It's safe to say that it's better an improvement over season 18 so far, though Murphy's Law may be taken into display for the season could go downhill at some point but I'll just keep my hopes up for the rest of it and see what we get as a result. Our waiting has paid off so far by the looks of it. The animation and the writing have really improved, despite a few quibbles, and the music is no better, no worse. It was sad saying goodbye to Martin Sherman and Ben Small but I'd very much like to welcome the new voices we have. John Hasler seems like a reasonable new choice for Thomas and you can tell that he's improved since _The Adventure Begins_ where his "adventure began", haha. Same goes for Joseph May, even though I thought he was the best replacement for Thomas in the US since the beginning. Rob Rackstraw is also a good addition and I especially enjoy how he ranges with voices in the US and the UK. As for Percy's new voiceover work, well let's talk about Christopher Ragland first. Now I was never too keen on his talents to start with as I felt he made Percy sound much different then Martin Sherman but you can tell he's trying and I'll give him that. As for Nigel Pilkington, well, I don't know what to say. I mean, he's also trying but I'm just so used to Ben Small portraying the character that I'll just have to get used to this new guy. Maybe by the time _Wild Water Rescue_ and _Very Important Sheep_ kick in, I'll adjust to him completely. Other then that, I'm glad to welcome him aboard. Enough said, my rating on season 19 so far is **9/10**. Please remember to leave comments and gave your views on how the episodes faired from best to worst. Much appreciated and thanks for reading. My review of _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ is right around the corner. That is, after the UK version is released.

**My Rankings From Best To Worst**

**1\. Lost Property - 10/10**

2\. Who's Geoffrey? - 9/10

3\. The Truth About Toby - 8.6/10

4\. Henry Spots Trouble - 8.3/10

**WHAT'S YOUR RANKING?**


	31. Sodor'sLegendOf The Lost Treasure (2015)

About a year has passed since _Tale Of The Brave_ was released, followed by _The Adventure Begins_ later on in the spring to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the show. The nineteenth season was confirmed to air later on in the fall, coinciding with the release of _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_, HIT Entertaiment's tenth feature-length movie in the franchise. However, the nineteenth season went on hiatus for a while, followed by the movie's release so now I'm reviewing this. Mark Moraghan continued narrating for the movie while the voice cast in both the US and the UK stayed the same, even with the newer voices for characters like Thomas and Percy. Robert Hartshorne and his son Peter returned to score the movie, this time accompanied by City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra for the songs while Andrew Brenner wrote the movie. Was _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ any improvement over _Tale Of The Brave_ and the movies that preceded? If so, was it any improvement over _The Adventure Begins_, my favorite Thomas movie to date? If you wanna hear my opinion, read on and find out.

**1\. Plot**

Okay, it's nice how Andrew Brenner takes a stroll at a certain subject in writing movies every year. Last year it was about monsters and dinosaurs and the year before was about kings and castles and rulers and all that. Next year, it's going to be about racing and this year, it's about pirates. Yes, something like this has been done before like in season 10 for example. _Thomas And The Treasure_, anyone? Anyway, the movie itself has a very interesting plot to it, even if it doesn't live up to the being brave concept in _Tale Of The Brave_. Here the story shifts away from Percy and back to Thomas at the forefront. Speaking of which, something disappoints me of how the Steam Team was handled but I'll get to that in the next category. Anyway, there are a few moralistic values to learn from this movie. When you make careless mistakes, there are consequences but there's always a chance to redeem yourself. That's what Thomas learnt in this movie and even though we've had a lot of movies with him in the spotlight, he fits well as the main character. Not much more to say about the plot, it was gripping, especially the chase scene at the climax. Some of it just didn't add up to it's predecessor a year before. Enough said, this category gets a **9/10**.

**2\. Character Development**

Now onto the characterization for this movie. Well, there's a lot to say. Some interesting new characters and returnees but what disappointed me a bit was that Thomas was the only character who had serious involvement. The movie last year managed to bring him along with Percy and James together at the forefront but here it all kind of focused on him. I mean, come on, it was cool how all the original 11 engines, along with Emily and all the others managed to get a speaking role and I loved how Emily and Duck were on screen together at some point. After all the compare and contrast the two have gotten since the _Emily Replaced Duck!_ theory, it would have been nice to see a little interaction and show that neither of them are ever replaced but still, it was a nice touch. Back to the Steam Team, it was a bit of a shame engines like Percy and James, and Toby I think, only got like one speaking role each. Emily as well. Edward played a pretty good part but why was he one of the engines got scared by Salty's story. At first, I thought that this was a sign of the show falling slightly back in S9-16 territory but now I just let it slide and focus on what's really more important about reviewing the movie. Henry also had an okay part and I'm kind of used to his timid nature now. I'm not talk up a storm about but check the first part of my season 19 review that preceded to see why I'm used to Henry's persona. Now I want to talk about Gordon, the only one of Thomas' friends in the Steam Team who played an important part in the story. Or I wouldn't exactly call them too much of friends here. Maybe ever since Thomas tricked him in _Old Reliable Edward_, things probably haven't been so easy between them but Thomas and Gordon's rivalry here reminds me of _The Adventure Begins_ but it also brings them to how they were towards each other at the start, _Thomas And Gordon_ in particular but I'll talk about that later on the review but what I just wanna say is that Gordon's arrogant character was done very well here. Yes, it could've ended bette with Thomas and Gordon resolving their issues and making up for what happened but I guess that just wasn't the main focus of the movie. It also would have been nice to have the whole Steam Team at the opening as well, you know since I was expecting the eight core engines to come together with Duck, Oliver and the Scottish Twins as the twelve key characters of the show. Anyway, it's just nice to have the original 11 engines roundup complete and each have a part all in one movie. Enough about the supporting Steam Team characters. Yes, it was characters like these that I was disappointed getting shoved aside in _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_ but at least Sodor and it's characters are all that's focused here. Just that the newer and returning ones are more of a focus here then the rest of the Steam Team besides Thomas.

Let's talk about Thomas' character next. It's nice to see him as the cheeky tank engine he was from the start but the way he handled the issue with Gordon, well, there would have been no story if that happened but still, I thought Thomas was more mature than that nowadays. Anyway, the consequences that were set served him right, no matter how sorry it makes you feel him losing his branch line but that's life. You make careless mistakes, you deal with the consequences, right? It's nice to see him slowly redeeming himself as the movie carries on, even as far as going to prevent Sailor John from stealing the treasure. Now onto Sir Topham Hatt. Well, his character was pretty well done here and the consequences he set for Thomas, like I said before, served him well. But I feel that he could have listened to Thomas in some cases. Like after the incident with the dynamite, he puts all the blame on him when Thomas was actually a hero that time and probably saved the whole line from an explosion. I don't think there's much more to say about Sir Topham Hatt's character but he seems a bit like he was in season 7's _Percy Gets It Right_ by neglecting Thomas a bit like he did to Percy. Enough said there.

Now onto other characters like Annie and Clarabel. Well, their characters never disappoint and no matter how little screen time they got, they managed to do well together on screen like always. Duck, Oliver and Toad, our latest returning characters, are still under good use and so are newer characters, like Marion for instance. I quite liked her role here and her little subplot was quite funny from how she thought Oliver had turned into a digger. Now let's talk a bit about our returnees for this movie. There were a few rumors I've thought of before this movie came out that so many returnees could show signs of fan service and as much as that might be possible, it's nice how they're used here. Yes, not the main focus and that disappointed at the start because I thought they'd have more involvement but they were as much involved as they could be in helping to build the branch line. Donald and Douglas make a pretty good return to complete the original 11 engine roundup, even though it seems from Duck's reaction to seeing them that they really haven't been around for seven years. Not much more to say, let's talk about The Pack. Only a few of them returned, including Jack, who we've seen two years before along with Alfie and Oliver. It's a shame though Max and Monty only made cameos. :( Maybe they could've performed something careless with the dynamite scene and Thomas would still be the hero but get blamed for it and it would move the plot along still. Anyway, The Pack played as much as a role as they could in the story even though Miss Jenny didn't appear to guide them like she usually would and the dialogue between these characters was kind of limited and what really would've been nice was if there was a little bonding between the two Olivers. Ah, well. I can dream, can't I? Finally, I want to talk about Daisy. There's quite a bit to say about this character. It's been ten years since we've last seen hear in _Calling All Engines!_ where she didn't have much of an involvement besides a few non-speaking roles but even if we heard her voice for once after 20 years, well, I didn't expect her to just make a small appearance at the end. Besides, people who have done research on this movie would've known she was coming back anyway so the ending wasn't a surprise when Sir Topham Hatt announced her involvement for the branch line duties. Ah, well, it's just nice to see all these characters back after so long and I bet by the time season 20 comes around next year, they'll have some sort of development.

Now let's talk about our new characters for this movie. I'm gonna start by taking about Ryan. He's my favorite out of all the newcomers, mainly because of his potential and his involvement in the plot. Also, Thomas, despite being a little jealous, is not a jerk to him this time like he was to Stanley and he's more hospitable towards him too. I kinda like Ryan's character persona changed from originally being more overconfident and dismissive like he was described to being more friendly like he was in this movie. But then again, he could have some sort of different development following this movie and that's why I wrote my own story about him in _My Written Episodes_ fanfic if you wanna check it out. Now let's talk about the Arlesdale Railway engines: Mike, Rex and Bert. I gotta say, I was fascinated with how they were incorporated into the TV series. I was so fascinated that I even wrote my own story about them in my fanfic but I'm not going to go so much into that for fear it might lull you guys to sleep, lol. Anyway, their song was amazing but I'll talk about that soon and their personas, thought limited, were captured well, especially Mike's reaction to Marion's bumbling attitude and Rex being cheeky towards Mike somewhere in _Never Overlook A Little Engine_. They played a pretty fair part in the climax where they set a distraction for Sailor John. I guess that's all I have to say about them for now and I hope we do see some more development out of them in future. Now, let's talk a bit about Skiff. He's quite an interesting character. Surely no antagonist like his master but almost like a Disney minion who would regret involvement in one of the villain's evil plots and eventually reforms and becomes friends with the hero while having his own time to shine, like _Fungus_ in _Monsters Inc._ and _Iago_ in _Aladdin_. Hope I'm not talking too much nonsense here, just giving examples of what kind of a character Skiff reminds me of. Anyway, I like how he and Thomas were friends from the start and how he refuses to take involvement in Sailor John's thievery, rather being forced to or not. He also his moment of glory when he helps Thomas defeat Sailor John. It would be nice to see how Skiff is getting along with his current job at Skiff's Railboat Tours once the series continues on from this movie. Finally, let's talk about our story's antagonist Sailor John. Much like your typical Disney villain, he starts out as a double-sider, using Thomas to get him to the treasure and refusing to give up his search once Thomas tells him that the treasure is to be put into a museum, that's where his villainous side comes out, quite like a Pixar villain for example showing his true colors like _Stinky Pete The Prospector_ or _Mr. Waternoose_. Don't ask why, I just see that kind of comparison that I just want to make it. I feel that adding Sailor John to the plot makes up for the loss of P.T. Boomer in _Thomas And The Magic __Railroad_ and he's not too intimidating either so I guess Britt's okay with that, right? Haha, that's just a joke. Anyway, somehow though I felt that Sailor John needed more of a backstory. Yes, I think it's implied on the website that he's like a soldier who got kicked out of the Navy or something but something like that would have been a good addition to this movie and also a reason why he wants the treasure. What I really enjoyed though was Sailor John's fate. It was nice seeing Sodor actually having a police force after a long time since the constable in _Thomas In Trouble/Thomas Breaks The Rules_ and the punishment that Sailor John got by being arrested, well, it probably implies that he's the only new character in the movie who we possibly won't be seeing in season 20 but it teaches kids that the life of crime eventually gives you your comeuppance. Anyway, that's all I have to say about the characterization. There's a big chance that all the new characters and returnees will have more development in season 20. Overall, this category gets an **8.5/10**.

**3\. Narration/Voices**

The narration for this movie was top-notch. Mark Moraghan, once again, proves why he's my favorite Thomas narrator to date. Where would the world of Thomas be without him? Not much more said about him, let's talk about the voices. We got to see a small snippet of Percy and James' new voices and I gotta say, they're re better, no worse from what we've seen before but still I'll probably be used to them once the rest of season 19 airs. The rest of the returning voices also stayed in touch since before so I have nothing to actually say there. I want to go into a bit more detail about Thomas' voiceover work. Well, I've also seen the US version and small clips of the UK version. (even though it's out and I don't get why it's not up on the internet. Could somebody please tell me where to find it? Maybe then I can edit this review) But anyway, I'm used to Joseph May as Thomas as he's getting better and better every time, even though I still miss Martin Sherman and Ben Small but I'm not going to talk too much about that now. Anyway, what I've seen from the UK clips of the movie, I have just about the same to say for John Hasler. I'd say there's an equal balance between him and Joseph and both have really improved from _The Adventure Begins_ so I can't complain there, right? Let's go onto Joe Mills. Yes, he still shines as Oliver and Toad but I feel he could've done better with his Scottish accent for Donald and Douglas. Ah well, it'll take a few episodes to kick in to his voice for the twins and who knows? He might improve and he did the best he could in this movie for his voice for Donald and Douglas. Now, let's talk about our other new voices. Like I've said before, The Pack makes a good contribution in this movie but their character interactions are limited. However, David Menkin still managed to shine as Jack, still yet to see what we get out of Steven Kynman but I bet he did good as well. Tim Whitnall was a pretty good fit for Oliver, the one in The Pack who probably got the most involvement and as for Nathan Clarke as Alfie, well, I know there's not a lot to him in this movie but from what I've heard, the voice is very distinctive and definitely something I'd like to see more of so I'll keep my fingers crossed for Alfie getting an episode to himself in future. Same with Daisy's voice. Yes, not enough to the character but Teresa Gallagher gives her a pretty good voice. The voices given for the Arlesdale Railway engines were also great and their singing voices were pretty spot on too. Definitely something I'd like to see more out of in future. Let's talk more about our newest and probably more memorable voices for the characters. Eddie Redmayne was pretty spot on as Ryan and there was a lot to do with the character too so I really mean that. John Hurt also shone as Skiff but the voice that stood out over all of the newcomers was John Hurt as Sailor John. Yes, his performance as the villainous pirate may be brief but he really captures the character and his sinister nature well; sometimes, in a comedic way as well. Enough about the cast, they were all great and so was Mark Moraghan. That's why, judging from what I've seen from the US dub and part of the UK dub, this category gets a **9/10**.

**4\. Animation**

The visuals for this movie continue to show what Arc did better than Nitrogen in terms of animation. The contrast has really improved and the sets look beautiful, especially new locations like Arlesburgh Harbor, which we haven't seen since like season 3 so that's a bonus and the Arlesdale Railway and the new branch line from Arlesburgh to Harwick look great as well. I really like the opening shot with Thomas passing the windmill. Quite a bit of nostalgia there. The new characters also look fantastic and so do the returnees. However, there are a few small nitpicks here and there with the shots, the collision between Thomas and Toby in particular and how Henrietta fits into that issue. Aside from that, the visuals were amazing and that's why I'm happy to give the animation a **9/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

Boy, is the soundtrack something to talk about here. It's probably the best thing about the movie. The score by Robert and Peter Hartshorne, accompanied by City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra was amazing and to perfection, especially the instrumental renditions of the two songs written for the movie, which I'll talk about in a sec. Anyway, the Hartshornes have really outdone themselves this time, not only thanks to the orchestra but because they really put a lot of effort into the music, especially the music where Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt make up after the climax. Now let's talk about the songs written for this movie. _Never Overlook A Little Engine_ was a great song. When I first listened to it, I thought the lyrics were a little generic but hearing the Arlesdale Railway engines sing it, well, now I think much better of it. It really teaches kids and adults alike not to judge others by their size and the ending of the song brought a whole step up with a solo each from Mike, Rex and Bert really brought the song and the movie in general with the end credits to a great conclusion. Now let's talk about _We Make A Team Together_. What an amazing song this is. Yes, it gets repetitive, especially when you hear it twice. But it's just so catchy and gets stuck in your head soon afterwards. Even though _Blue Mountain Mystery_ is still my favorite song written for a movie, these songs work pretty just as well and the fact they were reprised for the film's credits, which looked amazing with movie visuals in RWS style by the way, made me feel that they were put to good use. Probably the best closer we've had to a movie here, no doubt about it. Overall, the soundtrack for this film gets a **10/10**.

**6\. Length**

This film had plenty of action of it and set a good pace throughout. Like always, I have not much to say about the length of the movie. It was just very exciting, despite the main focus being Thomas redeeming himself and less focus on other characters, like new and returning ones for example. That's all I have to say about the movie's length I guess so I'll give it a **9/10**.

**7\. Writing**

Okay. Now onto the writing for this movie, something always worth talking a lot about, especially with Andrew Brenner's movies. Well, at first I thought the writers lost touch here by not giving enough of an introduction to new characters and welcoming back old ones and that one scene at the docks with Edward, I must digress.

_"That sounds scary"_

Well, I thought there was a bit of a _Monster Of Brendam_-esque moment there but it's a small quibble like Edward back in season 6 so I'll just let it slide. There are plenty more pros to the script, like the beginning for example with Thomas and Bertie racing, which bought some season 1 nostalgia.

_"You might as well give up now, Bertie. You know I'm going to win."_

_"You won't...if you don't look where you're going."_

_"Whoa!"_

The interactions between Thomas and his coaches at the beginning also brought back memories of _Thomas And Bertie/Thomas And Bertie's Great Race_, especially how it was quoted.

_"Oh, Thomas, you know Sir Topham Hatt doesn't approve of you racing."_

_"Nonsense. What does he know? I've been racing on my branch line for years."_

_"Well, I know that your passengers don't like being bounced like peas in a frying pan."_

Very well put together there, even though I found it to be fan service. But what I really enjoyed was Thomas' attitude when Annie and Clarabel thought their branch line was going to close down after the new one opened and Thomas stating that his branch was the most important part of the whole railway really bought back memories of _Thomas And The __Guard_. And so that's all how I think the beginning reminded me of _Tank Engine Thomas __Again._ Moving on, the way the Arlesdale Railway engines were introduced seems original and their jobs by collecting ballast are the same as in the Railway Series so I can't complain there. Donald and Douglas also made an interesting comeback and having Duck be the first to interact with them instead of Thomas was a nice touch. He had good contact with them in the classic series and here it's nice to see them back together, you know since they kinda run Duck's branch with him.

_"__Well, I never. I don't believe it. Donald and Douglas. Haven't seen you two around in a while."_

_"We only went to collect more rails and sleepers."_

_"Aye. So you can build some track. That's all."_

_"Well, I don't know. But it feels like you've been gone for ages."_

So while it was nice seeing the twins back, well, they couldn't have been gone for seven years, right? Maybe a few months after Duck and then Oliver and Toad but I just don't know. What I did enjoy though, were the interactions between Thomas and Gordon before the accident

_"Sorry, Annie and Clarabel. But I have to fetch lazy Gordon's coaches __first."_

_"I heard that, Thomas. But you are lazy. Otherwise you'd fetch your own coaches."_

_"You know full well that tender engines are too big for shunting. That's what silly little tank engines are for."_

_"Silly little tank engines? Well, maybe this silly little tank engine should take the express today."_

While I feel it's this writing that makes Thomas and Gordon both at fault for the incident, Thomas for causing it and Gordon for provoking him, well, Thomas was the one who solely deserved to be punished in the end. But Thomas throwing Emily and Toby under the bus (idiom there, look it up if you don't know), well I've always thought of that and blaming Gordon is one thing, even he wasn't "_at the wrong platform"_ but to blame his other friends who had nothing to do with it, well, that was very selfish of Thomas and more of Gordon or James behavior if you ask me. Thank god he didn't get away with doing so. Marion thinking that Oliver turned from an engine into a digger, well, it was funny and her little scuffle with Mike was funny too. It's very nice to see Marion communicating with The Pack, something I'd like to see in future. Ryan's introduction was also great.

_"But what about my branch line?"_

_"Branch line? I think that's where I'm meant to be working."_

_"Ah, Ryan. My new tank engine. You're here."_

There were also some funny exchanges between Mike and Rex during _Never Overlook A Little Engine_.

_"I've never known a job that I couldn't do."_

_"With a bit of help from me maybe."_

And same with later on when Marion arrives.

_"Is she talking about us?"_

_"I __expect she's talking about Mike."_

_"Why me?"_

_"Just because."_

It just shows us how much Rex loves teasing Mike like he did in the Railway Series. The short interactions between Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt after the accident at the quarry gave me a chuckle.

_"There was something else down in the cavern..."_

_"Oh, take him to the SteamWorks, Emily, please."_

Yes, it showed how Sir Topham Hatt is not always careful with listening to his engines but it was funny and Sir Topham had a reason here for not to listening to Thomas: he had had enough for him already. Also some funny interactions between Kevin and Victor were also funny.

_"I drop things all the time and I still work here."_

_"Only just, Kevin."_

_"Ow!"_

There were a few more parts of the script like Thomas standing up to Sailor John, which was a nice touch since he didn't get credit for discovering the pirate ship in the cavern and the treasure chest, which was seemingly discovered by Marion, but you feel Thomas' redemption very well there. The interactions between Thomas and Ryan really show how the two engines are coming to be great friends, something Ryan wanted from the start and it's touching to see them on screen together. The way that Ryan becomes curious about Thomas on night watch and keeps an eye on him to find out his heroic deeds against Sailor John's treachery really shows how endearing of a character Ryan is. Some of Sailor John's remarks during the chase scene shows how powerful of a villain he can be and I admire that about the character so much that it really does make up for losing P. T. Boomer as a seemingly strong villain in _The Magic __Railroad_ movie. Anyway, Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt making up after Sailor John's arrest and Ryan's involvement in having the issue resolved by reporting Thomas' bravery was all really touching. Sir Topham Hatt's statement about forgiving Thomas about not saving the treasure was also very strong and totally defines his character.

_"Please don't worry about the treasure, Thomas. My engines are much more important to me than any treasure and you, Thomas, are my number one."_

Though it could have mentioned Thomas getting his branch line back, it's pretty obvious that Sir Topham Hatt would give it back to him, don't you think? Anyway, a little making up between Thomas and Gordon would have actually been a nice touch, like Percy and James in the movie before. Ah, well, you can't have it all, right? Anyway, Marion's resolution to the magic wish subplot was well-written and always gives me a chuckle.

_"Oliver? __Oliver? But I thought you made a wish. I thought you changed into a digger. There can't be two Olivers."_

_"Yes there can."_

Quite a bit of humor there and it's nice combining the two Olivers so kudos to Andrew Brenner for that. Anyway, the script for this movie, though not perfect, was quite some effort from Andrew Brenner and bringing Ryan and Daisy together to run the Arlesburgh-Harwick branch line brings a lot of potential for how the line could be run in the future. Overall, the writing for this movie gets an **8.5/10**.

**8\. Direction**

Not much to say about the direction. David Stoten's a great director and there are some great shots, despite a few nitpicks. No more said, the direction gets a **9/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, this is not my favorite Thomas movie since it's not as strong as _The Adventure Begins_ but it's on par with _Tale Of The Brave_, making both of them a tie for my second favorite Thomas movie. Like it's predecessor, it's dramatic and emotional and has plenty of action to it, especially at the climax. While I feel that this one stumbles in a few areas, it's a great movie in it's own right. It brings back quite a few favorites and rather or not for fan service, they were used well. There are also some new characters, which have a lot of potential for the future. They obviously have a small chance of appearing in season 19 since it seemingly comes before this movie but I guess I can wait till next year to see what's in store with these new characters. Overall, this film gets a **9/10**, so that does make it on par with _Tale Of The Brave_ after all, just not as good as my personal favorite _The Adventure Begins_. Look forward to a possible followup to _The Adventure Begins_ in the spring, followed by _The Great Race_ and the twentieth season later on in 2016. Remember, please make sure to leave comments and leave your thoughts on this film. Thank you very much and stay tuned for my reviews for the rest of season 19 once it airs again on Channel 5.

**WHAT'S YOUR RATING?**


	32. Season 19: Part 2 (2015-2016)

(Happy New Year, everyone. Sorry this took so long but I bet most of you understand from Channel 5's mysterious hiatus and who is behind it. If you don't understand, I'll explain later on at the end of the review. Anyway here is Part II to my Season 19 review. Enjoy!)

Wow! Over three months have passed since the nineteenth season was put on hiatus after four episodes on Channel 5, followed by an unnecessary rerun of the sixteenth through eighteenth seasons and repeated Christmas episodes. At first, I didn't know why the heck this was happening in the first place, but then I discovered Viacom, the parenting company in control of Channel 5, and discovering the issues that other companies have had with it in the past, YouTube and Suddenlink for instance, I think I'm going out on a limb here to explain what the issues I have think they have caused for the franchise but I think I'll wait until I'm done reviewing these episodes. Anyway, moving on, most of the Christmas episodes have aired on Channel 5 in January, followed by another stupid hiatus for a rerun of season 13, pretty cool right? Hahahaha, I love using sarcasm in times of stress. Meanwhile, most of season 19 has already aired in Australia and this hiatus on Channel 5 is getting tiresome so I might as well just continue reviewing the season now because there's no point in being patient with Viacom anymore. Did season 19 manage to remain consistent from the last time we saw in September? If you wanna hear my opinion, read on and find out.

**5\. ****Toad And The Whale**

This was a great episode. I know Toad's gotten a lot of episodes since he returned, and therefore, poor Oliver's never gotten a chance in the spotlight yet :(. But the episode suited Toad and his personality well. He's a very gentle character with a clear understanding on the world around him. This moral, like _Who's Geoffrey?_, seems pretty new, this time showing it's audience how important it is to help out animals in need. Maybe watching this would change a couple views of hunting as well. Onto the characters in the story, well, I don't know who else could have taken Thomas' place, maybe one of the Scottish Twins, had _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ come before season 19. The next character I want to talk about is Duck. Now, I wasn't too keen on his attitude towards Toad at the beginning. Sure he understood how Oliver felt by Toad's singing, but to react the way he did...

_"You never hear a noise like that on the Great Western."_

Well, it's a little out-of-character from Duck if you ask me, and a kind of attitude that I would expect more out of Gordon or James, or maybe even Spencer, since James had already came to respect Toad in the previous season. Not saying that Duck doesn't have respect for Toad, I just think that his character here was taken a bit too far and he could have gone off better in Thomas' place by comforting Toad, since Thomas has _like_ made appearances in every episode this series. Haven't seen that in a while, huh? Anyway, Oliver's persona was something else I felt was a little out-of-character. Surely, we probably wouldn't have a conflict though, so I'll just let it slide. I quite liked the reprise of _I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside_, however Toad's singing voice, wasn't as strong as Mavis' or Thomas' back in the previous season, but at the end of the day it will do. Speaking of voices, there was only one issue I had with the cast here and that was Rob Rackstraw as Flynn. Surely, he did some very good voices so far, like for James and Toby as an example, he offers nothing new with his voiceover work for Flynn. Anyway, it was nice to see both Belle and Flynn back since season 17, though in season 18, Belle may have a few cameos and Flynn may have had a slight mention at one point, it's just nice to see them finally back in action and put to good use for the episode's plot. Overall, it was a great episode, even though I expected more of a bonding out of Toad and the whale, but now I don't know how that could have possibly happened. Maybe since Toad wished the whale luck with finding his family, it would have been nice at the end to see the whale swimming along the coast with his family. There was some great animation, especially the beginning shot with the crab and I guess it was written pretty well so I'll give this one a **9/10**. It's amazing to see how far HIT has gotten with animal episodes since Brenner and his crew came along, which ironically leads on to the next episode.

**6\. ****Very Important Sheep**

Another great episode about animals. It seems like _Wonky Whistle_ done right and _Muddy Matters_ done in a better fashion. I was a little nervous this one at first when I heard about it on the _Tales On The Rails_ DVD. But I thought to myself how many plot ideas from S9-16 were improved upon by the new writing team, like _The Perfect Gift_ from the previous season seemingly being inspired by _Salty's Surprise_ and _Flatbeds Of Fear_ being based off _Percy And The Monster Of Brendam_. Enough about that, back to the episode and it's features. The music was beautiful, especially for the countryside setting and the animation was done to perfection, especially with the sheep and the contrast throughout. However, the voiceover work could use some improvement. The new voices for Thomas, though not perfect, is not really much anymore to complain about. However, Percy's new voiceover, for both dubs, is still not the best either. Christopher Ragland's getting there, but still doesn't give the youthful charm to the character that Martin Sherman did for both Percy and Thomas. Nigel Pilkington, on the other hand, is the prime reason why I prefer the US version. He hasn't really gotten anywhere farther with Percy's voice and I still miss Keith Wickham, but hey, this is just things we have to get used to. Who knows? Maybe at some point, I'll like both Ragland and Pilkington as much as the original voiceovers. Now about the characterization, Percy was pretty well chosen, though Rosie or Stanley could have worked as well, and this is my opinion because I still feel that they're severely underused. Anyway, Gordon's part was played out pretty well.

_"Very important sheep? Ha! The express is much more important than any sheep."_

I loved how the arrogance from the character was used there, and Thomas' characterization, as well as Annie and Clarabel's, were great as well. Thomas, as usual, is trying his hardest to help his best friend Percy and the two coaches added quite a bit of humor as well.

_"Oh no! Not ANOTHER lamb."_

The fact that the sheep just kept getting bigger as they went along was what really added humor. So did the part where the narrator claimed that Thomas was on his way with some _very happy sheep...and some very unhappy passengers. _I guess the writing, though not perfect, is not really anything to complain about, especially since I quoted it three times above. I did get a bit of confusion, though when Sir Topham Hatt mentioned _youths_ and I thought: was he saying _youths_ or _you's_? Anyway, I learnt that it's like a younger animal or person or something like that. A lamb is another definition for the term on my part, so it's nice to learn more new vocabulary here. The moral, though a little similar, makes more sense then the S15 episode about patience and not rushing your work. Here, it makes more sense since Percy had a reason to be in a hurry and caused a hole in the last carriage, which led to sheep escaping one-by-one. Better than having an abnormally loud whistle, right? Now about the moral on Thomas, Annie and Clarabel's part, the latter couldn't have put it better herself.

_"That's the spirit, dear. We all have to make sacrifices in times of need."_

That is _indeed_ the spirit. I don't think the moral is passed around on the show too often so I'm glad it was used here. Overall, it was another satisfying episode that just comes to prove how Percy's character has really developed since the new writing team came on board. That's why it's an **8.9/10** for me.

**7\. ****Salty All At Sea**

Hmm...when I first watched this episode back in November on _Tales On The Rails_, I didn't know what to think of it. It was my least favorite of the three S19 episodes on the disc, and it still is, but I have quite a bit to talk about regarding it. The title seemed alright, thought it wasn't the best choice for a title; maybe _Salty Imagines_ would've been more effective. The plot description, before I viewed the episode, made wonder how it would turn with Salty's imagination running away with him. Now, I know how it gets the better of him and his fear of going out to sea on a boat. Speaking of which, that part confused me. If Salty has never been on a ship before, how did he get to Sodor in season 6? The mainland's my answer, even though we never saw the connection between the North Western and the mainland until the CGI series came along. It was nice to see references to other episodes, like _Flatbeds Of Fear_ but for _Percy And The Monster Of Brendam_, Thomas wasn't present, so that confused me a little, but he heard the story before or after the events of the episode. Still, Edward or Toby could've gone off better in his place, especially since Edward already had a purpose in the episode and Thomas had already gotten enough appearances this season as it is. Back to the episode and it's moral: don't let your imagination run away with you. It's a nice moral and it teaches kids to be careful with their imagination. It also shows us how to overcome our fears, in this case, Salty and being on a ship. Some people have fears of going on planes, and I did too when I was much younger, but I love it now and I found it exciting, just like Salty did here and let his imagination return with him. I didn't mind those few lines of alliteration at the end, even if it wasn't the best hand in writing that we've seen from this season. I guess it was a good episode, though not on par with the previous two, so I'll give it an **8.5/10**.

**8\. ****Den And Dart**

Much better episode here. I was looking forward to this one the most out of the _Tales On The Rails_ episodes, and funny enough, it's my favorite of the three. It's nice to see Den and Dart getting an episode to themselves and in some way, it seems like _Ol Wheezy Wobbles_ done right. Oh my god, I remember how awful that episode was and I was afraid it could've been on _Tales On The Rails_ instead, but PBS' announcement proved me wrong and that's what got me excited for this episode. The story was great and so was the moral about facing your fears, especially when it comes to working apart, and seemed like something that Donald and Douglas could have pulled off had _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ come before this season, though Sir Topham Hatt knows for a fact that the twins always work in pairs, as proved in season 6, but enough about that, back to the episode. The writing was pretty good, though we heard a few

"_What he means is..._"

constantly from Dart and even one from Den. Ah, well, no big deal. If it were the Logging Locos and Ferdinand's repetitive _that's right_, then that would be a different story. Anyway, the episode also had great characterization out of Toby and Henrietta, and Den at the end when he biffed the trucks and showed them to behave. Mavis' supportive attitude towards Dart was also in character, but it's not like she's ever been out of character, right? I'm just impressed at how far the new writing team has gotten with her character, as well as Toby and Henrietta, and now they've given Den and Dart some more development. Although, another engine could have taken Thomas' place with taking Mavis to the DieselWorks, like Paxton for example. Ah, well, no big deal. I'd like to talk a bit of the voice cast now. I feel like Rob Rackstraw has lost touch a bit with his voice for Toby, especially since he did a pretty good job in _The Truth About Toby_, but I guess I can just let it slide, you know since he's new to the show just like Thomas and Percy's voices. Now about the voices for the troublesome trucks, well, the UK voices are the same as the US since there's like nothing new in that aspect but the US voices for the trucks weren't exactly perfect either, so I can't complain. Overall, it was a great and the best one since _Toad And The Whale_ so it's a **9/10** for me.

**9\. ****Helping Hiro**

Another good watch here, even if it's not my favorite episode of the season. Last season we've had _Missing Gator_, which was like an advertisement for _Tale Of The Brave_. On the other hand, this almost seems like the same thing for _Hero Of The Rails_, only because of all the references and Thomas returning to Hiro's Hideout. Speaking of which, I don't see much point in Thomas going to the Hideout to find spare parts. I know there wouldn't have been a story without it, and maybe Percy may have been smarter and more mature by now, but wouldn't a younger and more inexperienced engine have gone better off in Thomas' place, maybe someone like Paxton who sometimes doesn't think things through, but the only forgivable excuse I see is that this episode focused on Thomas and Hiro's friendship so maybe Thomas could have looked on other places across the Island for spare parts for Hiro, but enough about that. The next character I want to talk about is Sir Topham Hatt. I can assure there's nothing really wrong with his characterization but his reaction to Hiro's accident and Thomas' mishap at the Hideout was as if the latter two didn't really strike with surprise and suspicion. If it was, Sir Topham Hatt would have found out that Thomas was the cause of the accident, or the latter would have owned for speeding on the bend and causing the load to fall off, and also would have been reprimanded for being so silly as to go to Hiro's Hideout. Anyway, no big deal, the voice cast seemed in order. John Hasler's gotten better with Thomas' voice and so has Nigel Pilkington for Percy, but only by a little bit. Haven't seen the US version yet and I probably won't until it airs on PBS along with _The Beast Of Sodor_ in the _Spooky Snow_ slot, so maybe next time I review season 19, I can talk a little bit about the US dub for this episode. The animation was great as always, and so was the music, especially Thomas and Hiro racing through the countryside; one of my favorite Hartshorne tunes yet. Anyway, the writing seemed okay, even if there were a few quibbles, like Sir Topham Hatt's reactions, as I've already mentioned, and Thomas questioning Hiro on why they called him the Master Of The Railway. Come on, Thomas. Shouldn't you know that by now? I also think the drivers could have gotten a bit more involved. If _Long Lost Friend_ did anything, it proved that the engines can still interact with their crew but maybe Hiro's crew could have gotten more involved in this situation by helping their engine and Thomas' crew should have known better than to let their engine go gallivanting off to search for spare parts in the forest. Anyway, Harold seems pretty much in character with his awareness on the emergency and so was Rocky by coming to Thomas' rescue. Though, like I said, Sir Topham Hatt may have reacted with a little more surprise over Thomas being at the Hideout, there were quite a few chuckles with the deer, and in the end, we see that the controller may not always show discipline over his engines, even if this is one of the few Brenner episodes that prove, but what he shows instead of deep concern and consideration over his engines; ordering spare parts in case Hiro gets into another accident. When Thomas feels bad for not being able to help Hiro and Hiro shows him that he's been repaired and they can leave together, the moral is nice and clear out in the open: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's a nice moral that is not passed around in many episodes and pretty original in this case as well. Overall, it's an **8.6/10** for me. Good episode, just could have been better, that's all.

**The following episodes are being reviewed in an order by what DigiGuide confirmed them to be in the description. Though they've aired in a different order recently (thanks to Viacom), the description of each episode confirms what number episode of the season it is and that's why I reviewed the previous episodes above in the order it was, mainly because ABC in Australia aired in that order. Anyway, now to review Christmas of Season 19. Did it fair any better than season 18's batch of Christmas ****episodes? Read on and find out...**

**10\. Snow Place Like Home**

I knew this episode was coming since May, and that Victor would have an appearance, mainly it was confirmed on TTTE Wikia as an episode about Victor overcoming his fear of snow. About a couple of months, the _Thomas' Christmas Carol_ DVD was confirmed for a US release in October and I figured that an episode about _Kevin playing the snow until he is snowed under_ to be this one, mainly because I put the pieces together and remained certain until the four episodes were confirmed for the DVD. Anyway, I had high hopes for this one and that it would develop the characters of Victor and Kevin even further and I was right, even if it wasn't done in a way that I expected it to. I'll get to that in a moment, but for now, let's review just review the episode. I find to quite heartwarming, especially the friendship between Victor and Kevin, and it's nice to see more from the two of them than just Kevin constantly annoying Victor with his mistakes and just saying _sorry, boss. Slip of the hook._ But we've seen less of that since the new writing team came along, haven't we? While certain episodes of this season, aside from a few exceptions like _Toad And The Whale, Salty All At Sea_ and _Den And Dart_ have put the main focus on the Steam Team, this episode focuses more on Victor and Kevin while using Thomas and Emily in supporting roles. Speaking of Emily, she works as a great plot device to develop Victor's fear of the snow, though waiting till all the snow melts seems just a tad bit irresponsible for Victor's character, especially since Mr. Percival's engines may need fixing here and there. Is season 16 proved anything, it's that Victor had a good relationship with engines at the depot and a weekly repair visit was a nice direction for his character to go in. I guess I'm used to Thomas making appearances in every episode of the season, possibly done to celebrate the 70th anniversary and I give season 9 the same excuse for the 60th anniversary about ten years back, eleven, now that I'm reviewing these episodes in the New Year. Gotta love Viacom, huh? Enough of that, back to the episode. It's nice to see Thomas constantly maturing about his snowplow by collecting Emily's part in Victor's place and then going out to rescue Victor. Kevin, on the other hand, well, his character was handled nicely and I praise the writers for constantly adding terminology to the show. In this case, _infinity_ was a nice and funny addition to the episode's writing. The animators, on the other hand, were consistent with the top-notch visuals that they add the show, though one little nitpick I have to point is Kevin jumping in the snow. A little unrealism on Arc's part. Anyway, the one thing I really looked forward to was Victor's bravery and though my wish for that was granted, don't you think Victor would have heard Kevin when leaving the SteamWorks. Unless you want to build up a nice climax, apparently not, right? But wouldn't a better climax have been Victor succeeding in finding Kevin? That's what I thought the episode would be about, but instead Thomas comes to the rescue...twice! It shows how much they're overdoing it with his character this season. If I had written this episode, I would have had Kevin heading off to the depot instead and hinting Thomas or Emily at the idea, and then Victor heads off into the snow to rescue his friend, and then finds him and brings him to the SteamWorks by dark, collecting Emily's spare parts in the process. No big deal, not everything can go as you expect it to. Overall, this episode shows how you should face your fears, and though we've seen it about twice before this season, this time it's about being there for a friend in need. There were also quite a few chuckles at the end, starting with Emily.

_"Um, excuse me, but may I have my new piston rods now?"_

_"I'll get them, boss."_

_"No!"_

It was a rather touching episode, and the voice cast also did a great job. Victor and Kevin's voiceover work seems pretty consistent, and John Hasler and Joseph May continue to improve with Thomas' voice. As for Nigel Pilkington and Christopher Ragland on Percy's voice, well, only if it lasted for like ten seconds, I can sum up my view on it in just a few words, no better, no worse. They're getting there with Percy's voice though. On the whole, it's an **8.6/10** for me. Some plot elements didn't work to my liking, as I've explained, but it's no big deal since I enjoyed the episode the way it was.

**11\. The Beast Of Sodor**

I was a little nervous at this time the moment I looked at the description for _Thomas's Christmas Carol_: Henry faces off against an abominable snowman. I thought to myself, could it be _Ho Ho Snowman_, god I hope not, or maybe something different? I still had mixed feelings about _Henry Spots __Trouble_ back then so I had slight concern over how another episode with Henry being scared of something would turn out. Well, once I watched _Henry Spots Trouble_ when it aired in the UK, I figured that Henry's fears are something to be used to and they work well with the new writing team so I kept my hopes up for this one. How did it turn out? As good as I expected. It was a funny watch and quite entertaining throughout; Sir Topham Hatt continues to make us laugh with the situations he gets into, especially the scene with the bull, and the dynamic between him and the Dowager were great. The two characters work quite well on screen together and the Dowager's constant rantings are always a pleasure for adding humor, like...

_"Abominable SNOWman! Utter tish tosh!"_

...and...

_"No! You're the abominable controller!"_

As for the rest of the characters, they are what you'd expect for a typical Steam Team episode. Thomas and Emily are supportive of Henry's fear of the abominable snowman and Spencer is his arrogant self. Although, the chemistry between him and Henry reminds a bit of Percy and James back in _Tale Of The Brave_, especially since Henry proves to Spencer how brave he is. This may seem a little similar to _Henry Spots Trouble_, and it's sort of ironic taken that they share the same voice cast but I'll discuss that in a moment, though this time, Henry is scared of something different and it gives him a little more development, so that's why I prefer this. The animation is better too, because the previous Henry episode this season had a tad bit of inconsistency on Arc's part, but nothing wrong with what they've presented here. The scene where Henry protects Spencer and faces off against the "abominable snowman" shows true courage and strength out of his character, probably the best characterization we've seen out of the big green engine in a long time, so HIT's sort of outdone themselves with his character this season. The music was catchy, especially where Sir Topham Hatt is being chased and the constant pause ditties or whatever, maybe the parts with the Dowager's rants, would give you all a better idea of what I'm talking about, were slightly amusing. Anyway, the writing was no better, no worse from the rest of the season and as for the voice cast, well, like _Henry Spots Trouble_, I preferred the UK version, even though John Hasler and Nigel Pilkington need a little bit more tweaking in their voiceover work to build their way up. The voices for Topham and the Dowager were top notch and probably the highlights of the cast. On the whole, it was a fine episode, even if not perfect, with plenty of humor and a pretty good ending, which gives Henry a future of being more mature about things and not just a scaredy engine all the time. Overall, I give an **8.8/10**. Could have been better, but exceeded my expectations from when I first looked at it's description.

**12\. A Cranky Christmas**

Whoopee! A Christmas episode airing in January. Pretty good timing, right, Viacom? Nah, I'm just kidding. Just a little sarcasm to show the errors that you've caused with season 19's airing schedule. If this is a Christmas, then why the hell did it air in January? If it's the 12th episode of season 19 like DigiGuide claims it is in the description, then why did it air before the others? I know exactly why and I'll explain that after reviewing these episodes. Now about this episode in particular, it's quite underrated in my opinion and I'll explain why in a moment but still, it's my least favorite of the four Christmas episodes this season. Yes, the reason is it's similarities to _Who's Geoffrey?_, but using the same moral twice in a row for a season is not a bad thing. The other issue I've had with the episode was that Cranky didn't have as much screen time as Thomas did, even though the episode was specifically titled _A Cranky Christmas_. Only half the episode focused on Cranky hiding the crate and the other half was Thomas rushing back and forth from Brendam to the town square, but how else could they have moved the plot along? Well, maybe the writers could have done a better job by showing more dynamic between the two main characters, but the interactions between Thomas and Edward was enough for dynamic and added humor to the episode.

_"Looks like Sir Topham Hatt will need some __sandboxes too."_

Speaking on sandboxes, it's nice how the idea is constantly used on the show and builds up to a great climax when Thomas forgets to refill his sandbox and causes the crate to fall. The way he shouts _NOOOO!_ was well put together with with that scene. On the whole, it was a fun episode to watch and Arc did a great job, especially with revealing the ice skates from inside the crate and the shots of people ice skating around the square. The voice acting was amazing, especially from John Hasler and Joseph May for Thomas and David Bedella does a great job as the new voice for the mayor. Robert Hartshorne is another golden aspect of the episode. He adds the Christmasy feel to the score of the episode, especially the shots with Thomas running through the countryside and the rendition of _We Wish You A Merry Christmas_ at the end. The voice actors, especially Salty, did a great job there at singing. The episode ended well and Cranky's revelation added a few chuckles.

_"That's what I was thinking when I dropped it."_

_"When you...dropped it?"_

The fact that Cranky does it by accident is also funny and makes for the flaws that are presented with it's similarities with _Who's Geoffrey?_ I give it an **8.5/10**. Ah well, what more could be asked for an episode where _Thomas and Cranky drop an important Christmas crate_?

**13\. ****Diesel's Ghostly Christmas**

Hmm...another Christmas episode that hasn't aired yet. You know, this episode reminds much of Viacom's progress with airing episodes this year. Like Diesel, they're very _unhelpful_, even at Christmas. Maybe they were too afraid to air this one, right? Haha, that's a joke and I also thought of it because of the fact that it was in the odd one from the other three this week. Ah, well. Does it look like I care? I'm reviewing this episode along with the others because it's the proper direction to go in, not the way Viacom's doing it, should they air one of the others episodes like _Toad And The Whale_ before this one, I'm reviewing this one first, whether Viacom tells us otherwise with the airing schedule! YNow, to the episode, it's actually my favorite out of the four. It's faithful to the spirit of it's source material and actually captures the Dickens feel in many areas, and it's very clever and unique to split the episode up into two to do so. For now, let's start with **Part 1**. The opening was great, especially with the music, and the animation was beautiful. Great interactions between Thomas and Edward and Sir Topham Hatt's twisted ankle was a great plot device leading on to Diesel's character development. Speaking of which...

_"Hmph! What reason/tidings have we to be MERRY?"_

Another great line of subtlety that adds the Dickens-like feel to the story and it helps to build up Diesel's persona. And another analogy, when Thomas jokes that Diesel is _as__ helpful as a_..._chocolate firebox_, well, even if it may seem a little confusing for a comparison, it's a nice way to compare Viacom's effort, especially for Christmas, with Diesel's character. Meanwhile, the writers did a great job at portraying Salty as the Ghost Of Christmas Past and presenting the season 3 reference, when Diesel pushes the trucks into the sea in _Diesel Does It Again_. In addition, it was a nice touch to _No More Mr. Nice Engine_ was referenced, to prove that the writers not only add classic references for fan service, but also shows as much respect for previous works. The only question is: how did Salty know about Diesel pushing the trucks into the sea? My best answer is that Thomas, who probably knew about the incident from Percy or Duck, organized the plan not with Paxton and Emily, but Salty and Cranky too, so Salty found out from him. As for characters, the fact that Cranky plays along with Salty to the trick at the end shows that the two of them are friends after all, because sometimes I feel that Cranky's irritation at Salty's stories causes rivalry between the two, but it's nice to see them behaving of friends here. Now about the other characters, I feel that Emily's true persona was shown here: showing the urgency to help Sir Topham Hatt and she gave me quite a few chuckles by pretending to be a ghost. Paxton's bumbling but helpful nature was also shown quite well and so was Thomas' cheeky character, leading on to **Part 2**. It was a nice transition from Diesel leaves the docks and is then tricked by Paxton. Speaking of which, Paxton pulls off the Ghost Of Christmas Present in a very unique way. Would it make sense for the writers to show Paxton mentioning the other engines saying bad things about him? Probably not, and it would have shown the episode to be overly reliant on the Charles Dickens story. It was fun to see Paxton breaking the fourth wall.

_"Then I must be good at pretending."_

When Thomas, seemingly reluctant, gets even with Diesel for not helping earlier, the story moves along quite nicely and it was nice for a transition to Thomas' disguise as the Ghost Of Christmas Yet-To-Come. Something else different from the original story where Scrooge is sent to his grave and the townsfolk express lack of concern for him. Here, Thomas, as the ghost, gives Diesel an idea of what might happen if he doesn't change his act soon enough and it's pulled off beautifully, especially the shots from winter to spring with Diesel still being left aside. The ending was also done very well, with Diesel picking up Sir Topham Hatt and making up for the errors in his ways. Overall, both parts stand together as my second favorite episode of the season so far after _Lost Property_, though there is one episode from _Start Your Engines!_, judging the episodes from when they've aired in Japan, that tops the latter two and I'm not mentioning which just yer. Anyway, it was a very clever idea to merge the story in two parts as a double-length episode, rather than cramming the whole ordeal with a three-strikes method in an episode running at the usual 8 minutes and 45 seconds. There was no time filler, which was a bonus, since telling the story of Scrooge, especially in a different manner, takes time and huge effort if you want to pull it off in style. It's nice to see the story differentiate from _A Christmas Carol_, though _Thomas's Christmas Carol_ would have been a cool title for this as well. The only issue is that I would have had the first part take place on Christmas Eve with the Earl's grand Christmas lunch and the resolution taking place on Christmas Day. If there's one thing I've discovered from season 18 and _Last Train For Christmas,_ it's that stories taking place on Christmas Eve could be most successful out of the lot. Ah well, the writers have done all they can to add their style in with inspiration from the Dickens story, unlike MY fanfic on _How Diesel 10 Stole Christmas_ where I admit to have put my faithfulness and inspiration for the Seuss story as the main core. Here, it's done differently from it's source material in several ways and that's why I've grown in esteem towards it when I first viewed it back in October because if there's one thing the writers have shown here, it's creativity. Diesel acts in a slightly different way from Ebenezer Scrooge with his _bah, humbug!_ attitude, and learns his lesson in a similar manner with the three ghosts ordeal. When Diesel says...

_"I'm as light as a feather! I'm as merry as a schoolboy!"_

..., it's a beautiful way to put faith into the Dickens story and it shows that Becky Overton is not straying too far from the original story. A very touching ending too, though the Devious Diesel we love and admire, let's hope he comes back frequently while learning his lesson over helping others. Enough said, I give this episode a **9.4/10**.

**Overall Views:**

Overall, season 19 has continually made progress from the last time we viewed it back in September on Channel 5. However, Viacom's made NOTHING of the latter and I'll explain once I'm done talking about the episodes you guys all looked forward to me reviewing. More of my firm favorites have aired in Australia on ABC, like _Toad And The Whale_ and _Diesel's Ghostly Christmas_ for instance, so I've decided to review everything aired on ABC now, and in the rightful order too. There's not much more to say about these episodes. Absolutely nothing's gone downhill at the storytelling/writing helms, even if the Christmas episodes were stronger in season 18, and the new voices are continuing to be something that I could get used to. Meanwhile, Robert Hartshorne's continuing in the style he has for the past couple of seasons so that's enough for me. Same goes for Arc with the animation for the episodes. So far, this season gets a **9/10**, same as before.

And now to talk about the one thing I hated most about the season: Viacom! Yes, people, Viacom, the parenting company of Channel 5. Viacom seems to have "beefed up" Channel 5 in some ways and if you wanna know what I'm talking about, look up _Why Viacom Is Beefing Up Channel 5_ on . Now, Viacom may be useful for the channel in some aspects, but they do have their issues and I'm going to explain with constructive criticism. First off, many people at Channel 5 have lost their jobs because of Viacom's acquisition for $760 million and to add to that, the channel's advertising regions have been shut down for financial inviability. To me, that's an act of selfishness from Viacom, mainly because of the popularity that these regions have received, even before Viacom hopped on board to Channel 5, so of course _they_ wouldn't understand that. But here's where the main problem: these episodes have been held back for no reasonable purpose. I get it that _Bob The Builder_ has gone through a new style lately and they want to make sure it turns out to be successful but I've looked at the list of episodes for the aforementioned show and it seems as though it was put on hiatus on October. This would have been a perfect time to air the first batch of season 19 episodes, don't you think? But no, instead we kept getting these reruns of seasons 16 and 17. What was Viacom doing in a time like this? Only god knows. Maybe focusing on other brands besides _Thomas_ and _Bob_. But I think they need to understand two things: ONE, everyone has interest for different things, and even though I don't really care for _Bob The Builder_, some adults have childhood nostalgia and maybe kids show to appeal to viewers of all ages, so there's no reason to only put focus on how to make the more mature brands more successful; TWO, healthy competition is one of the aspects on airing multiple brands on television. **A special to Chris Tomson** for mentioning this. Viacom thinks otherwise about healthy competition between multiple brands and decide against it, especially in circumstances where _Bob_ was going through a new development, because last year, Viacom's never had any trouble with airing new episodes of Thomas, mainly because the _Bob_ reboot was still being developed so nothing baffles me about what they're doing here. But they had no excuse to keep holding back episodes from this show, even at Christmas where they specifically promised us and Ian McCue at HIT that the _Christmas Carol_ episodes would be aired during the holiday season slot. But, no! We had to get constant reruns of S13-18, even episodes like _The Snowman Party_ and _The Christmas Tree Express_, oh goody! Pfft! Yeah, right. If I were Viacom, seemingly Channel 5 now behind the scenes, I would have aired the first nine episodes of season 19 in October, mainly because there was nothing new to present to kids for television and _Bob The Builder_ was airing during the time season 19 premiered. Maybe they could have finished the season 15 rerun from where it was and then, when that was out of the way and _Bob_ was put on hiatus, they could aired _Who's Geoffrey_ on September 28th up to _Helping Hiro_ on October 8th, followed by the order of reruns they wanted. Then maybe at Christmas, they could have organized a special airing slot for Christmas episodes, especially new ones along with fan-favorites amongst the audience, like _Last Train For Christmas_ and _Duncan The Humbug_ for instance. On the other, the 22nd up to the 25th would be a good time to air to the four new ones in an order that I would have preferred then the one DigiGuide gave us in January:

**Snow Place Like Home on Tuesday, December 22nd**

**The Beast Of Sodor on Wednesday, December 23rd**

**A Cranky Christmas on Thursday, December 24th**

**Diesel' Ghostly Christmas on Friday, December 25th, Part 1 in the morning and Part 2 in the evening**

That's what I would have done if I were Viacom and what Channel 5's original owners probably would have conformed to. Anyway, season 19 continues airing in Japan with new episodes this weekend on January 10th and ends on the 24th. I'll review them along with _Start Your Engines!_ to conclude my season 19 review in March when everything is aired and the episodes about to air in Japan are bound to be on ABC by then. Please remember to leave comments and gave your views on how the episodes faired from best to worst, and also on Viacom and their progress with this season. Much appreciated and thanks for reading. Stay tuned and I'll be back in March, or maybe when the last six we're getting air in Australia. Peace out!

**My Rankings From Best To Worst**

**1\. Lost Property - 10/10**

**2\. Diesel's Ghostly Christmas - 9.4/10**

**3\. Who's Geoffrey? - 9/10**

**4\. Toad And The Whale - 9/10**

**5\. Den And Dart - 9/10**

6\. Very Important Sheep - 8.9/10

7\. The Beast Of Sodor - 8.8/10

8\. Snow Place Like Home - 8.6/10

9\. The Truth About Toby - 8.6/10

10\. A Cranky Christmas - 8.5/10

11\. Helping Hiro - 8.6/10

12\. Salty All At Sea - 8.5/10

13\. Henry Spots Trouble - 8.4/10

**WHAT'S YOUR RANKING?**


	33. Season 19: Part 3 & Overall (2016)

(Hey, guys. Happy Spring! Again, I'm so sorry this took so long but, thankfully, I'm done with this review now that _Start Your Engines!_ and the episodes that aired on NHK in January are available. I take it that it's safe to review _Start Your Engines!_ along with the last six now that all six episodes have been released direct-to-DVD. I definitely WON'T wait for Viacom to air it all later this year, or maybe later on the Spring like they promised and confirmed with Ian McCue. I'm not counting on it since Viacom's lied to us in the past, so anyway, here is Part III and the finale to my Season 19 review. Enjoy!)

Four months have passed since Christmas of the nineteenth season aired on Channel 5 in January (perfect timing, eh, Viacom?!), with an unreasonable exception of _Diesel's Ghostly Christmas_ while the other three aired out of order. Thank goodness the five episodes that aired earlier in the spring were in the right order, but still, it's month's too late! And now we have yet ANOTHER unnecessary rerun of S16-18! Enough about that, did _Start Your Engines!_ manage to remain consistent with the nineteenth season? Did it surpass _Dinos And Discoveries_ the year before...or maybe _Spills And Thrills_? If you wanna hear my opinion, read on and find out.

(My thoughts on the first episodes of season 19 have changed up a bit. Some are better then I remember and some are not as good as I remember. Let's start by listing my re-ratings for each of the episodes. My thoughts on the first four from September haven't really changed a bit, mainly because season 19 was most consistent at the beginning)

**1\. Who's Geoffrey?** \- 9/10

**2\. The Truth About ****Toby** \- 8.6/10

**3\. Lost Property** \- 10/10 (still a firm favorite for me!)

**4\. Henry Spots Trouble** \- 8.4/10

**5\. Toad And The Whale** \- looking back at this one, it's actually a real heart-warmer and there's more between Toad and the whale for a relationship then I thought there was. I don't really mind Thomas's appearance, even if one of the Scottish twins could've taken his place had _SLOTL_ come before this season, but Duck's persona still irked me a bit. Anyway, this a season 19 favorite despite a few flaws so it's actually a **9.4/10** for me.

**6\. ****Very Important Sheep** \- now that I think about this one, it's actually a bit better than I thought it was before. Not only is the animation flawless or the music does wonders, but it's another heartwarming episode that shows how far HIT has gotten with Percy's character since _Tale Of The Brave_. This one is actually a **9/10** for me.

**7\. ****Salty All At Sea** \- hmm...I've lost a bit of respect for this episode. The animation may be consistent and the music may be catchy, and neither is it really a bad episode. It's alright I guess, but my main issue was the choice of character for Salty's voice of reason. Thomas has gotten far too many appearances this season, and Porter could've easily taken his place. I re-rate this one a **7.6****/10**.

**8\. ****Den And Dart** \- this one's also much better then I thought it was and it's a tie with _Toad And The Whale_ for my favorite episode out of the five that aired in March. It develops the two title characters much more, and Toby and Mavis' characters are developing as well. While it's not perfect, it definitely shows the difficulties you must overcome when working on your own. I re-rate this one an **9.4****/10**.

**9\. ****Helping Hiro** \- looking back, this episode was _alright_, but it's my least favorite of the season so far. It's a little pointless, and probably would've made more sense if it aired somewhere around S13 or 14. It proves that this season is indeed a filler season and that this is a filler episode to keep the season in chronological order before _SLOTLT_. But still, it develops Thomas and Hiro's friendship well, even if Thomas' persona by searching for spare parts in places where he should know that spare parts for Hiro are obviously not available affected his character development. It's actually a **7.6/10** for me. Definitely loads of room for improvement.

**10\. Snow Place Like Home** \- **8.6/10** (probably my favorite now of the three from January)

**11\. The Beast Of Sodor** \- looking, this episode is no different then _Henry Spots Trouble_, even if they're both episodes that develop Henry's fears to be more believable. The only difference is that the animation is slightly more consistent here, and the humor is great too. **8.5/10**

**12\. A Cranky Christmas** \- I still don't mind this episode too much. The plot still may seem a little too similar to _Who's __Geoffrey?_ but there are a few redeeming qualities: the characterization, especially for Thomas, Edward and Sir Topham Hatt is actually pretty consistent, and the music and animation do wonders for the episode. **8/10**

**13\. ****Diesel's Ghostly Christmas** \- nothing changed my mind about this one. It's still my favorite of the Christmas episodes this season and a S19 favorite as well. **9.4/10**

(And now...the moment you've all been waiting for...my review of _Start Your Engines!_ First I must note that the episodes here are listed in the order they were on DVD. I'm sure if it's in chronological order, but hey, maybe if Viacom broadcasted them by this time, the order would be slightly different, don't you think?)

**14\. Two Wheels Good**

I think I'm gonna go out on a limb here. When NHK aired this episode back in November, I thought it was perfect. I felt that the characters were all in place and there was plenty of humor throughout. It was my favorite episode of the season, and comparing it with _Lost Property_, it had more characters besides Thomas, but looking back, it does have a few issues, so the latter episode is now officially my favorite of S19. And this one...well, let's just with the plot and characterization. Not involve such lovely dynamic between Thomas, Spencer and Bertie with their boastful nature, but even the human characters are given time to shine. It's very rare that we get episodes that focus a good amount on the human characters, and here, it really worked, especially with the constant bantering between the Duke and Duchess.

"I'm going to be late for my speech!"

"_Our_ speech, dear."

As for the rail/roadway characters, well, that's where this episode stumbled a little. I must say, the debate between Thomas, Spencer and Bertie over how many wheels are best is a good way to build up the story, since all three of the latter characters eventually allow their overconfidence to get the better of them. But the issue here, well, let's start with Spencer. The way in which the writers handle his crew to allow Spencer to stop at the station just for a chat is totally unnecessary, and quite similar to that one nitpick back in S7 where they didn't make him stop for water. Quite ironic since both episodes come from the same writer Lee Pressman. Don't get me wrong, he's one of my favorite writers despite a few flaws, but still, the engines' crew should know better than to let the engines loiter about the stations like that. As for the three strikes formula, it's not so repetitive here, as it constantly adds to the story unlike S9-16 did, and sometimes I hear people wonder, _what was Mr. Percival's purpose in this episode?_ Well, it's nice to see a narrow gauge character make an appearance for once, and from the way I see it, Mr. Percival's purpose in this episode was to be the one who would save the day like he did, and prove to the audience that speed or quality or even quantity (sets of wheels in this case) aren't everything...which leads to Harold's minor appearance in the episode. The episode also had plenty of humor throughout, from the argument between the characters...the situations that they ended up getting into...to the bantering between the Duke and Duchess (which I've mentioned)...and especially with the ending with Sir Topham Hatt on the bike. Somehow, it was just funny watching that, and seeing him fall off brought a few chuckles. Overall, I give this episode a **9.5/10**. Quite underrated in that aspect, despite the flaws that prevent it from being my S19 favorite, and definitely a triumph from Lee Pressman. But was it my favorite of the six on the direct-to-DVD release? Read on and find out...

**15.**** Reds Vs. Blues**

Hmm...watching this episode back in the winter on NHK, I didn't know what to think of it. It was never my favorite, but I've grown in slight esteem of it. The story may have a bit too much of a heavy focus on football, but I'd say it sticks to the theme. The humor is consistent from the current writing team, especially with Sir Topham Hatt's shenanigans at the beginning when throwing the ball. However, I was not impressed with the way James was treated at the beginning. Just like he's red and not blue shouldn't make Sodor United fans so judgmental of him. Other than that, it was a good way to set up competition between Thomas and James. Would Gordon have worked better in Thomas' place? Maybe, but I quite enjoyed the friendly competition that's been expanded upon between Thomas and James. It was also nice to hear Barrow be referenced for the first time in the series. It adds a bit of a RWS feel, doesn't it? I don't read the books too often anymore, but I get where the Barrow reference is coming from, and that's all that matters, right? Anyway, back to the episode. This seemed like a pretty decent attempt from Davey Moore, and the apparent "fourth-wall break" at the end, well, I feel like Percy was just cheekily stating the odds for Thomas and James' situation rather than breaking the fourth-wall, and it was a nice and funny addition to the episode, reminding how cheeky Percy was in his early years on Sodor and still has a bit of that persona left in him. As for the ending, well, Sir Topham Hatt's comparison with football when setting a warning for both his engines, well, let's just say it was quite funny and a good way to teach children wishing to grow up to be athletes about the rules of football. And the moral, well, the way James claimed it at the end is what I couldn't have put better myself: _it's best when working against the same goal_. Thought it's neither perfect or on par with the previous episode, I quite enjoyed this one, even if the music, probably the lowest point of the episode felt too much like a S13-16 tune and nothing like the improvements Hartshorne has made in his work since S17, and the pacing was a little off, especially since half the 9-minute time slot was wasted with Thomas and James independently working _against_ one another. Wouldn't it have been better to include at the end how Thomas and James end up working together _with_ one another at the end, instead of just promising each other to do so? Other than that, it was an enjoyable watch so I give it an **8.4/10**.

**16\. Slow Stephen**

A much better episode, and almost as good as _Two Wheels Good_. As much as HIT has improved upon plot ideas from S9-16 with the new writing team, quite like how the previous episode was pretty _Thomas And The Colors_ done better, this one felt like _The Afternoon Tea Express_ done in a better fashion. Gordon's dismissive behavior towards Stephen felt much more believable than Spencer's did back in the latter episode. The animation was spot on, especially with the climax at the Sodor Suspension Bridge. The way in which Stephen jokingly hurried Gordon at the end was gave me quite a few chuckles, particularly since it expresses irony on Gordon's behavior thought the first half of the episode. Thomas' cheekiness towards James at Knapford also worked, though Stephen trying to make him feel better? No offense to James, but if he was the one who was teasing Stephen in the first place, I do hope Stephen wasn't sticking up for him against Thomas' cheeky nature. James is usually a character who lets that slide, even if he becomes too sensitive to all of his friends laughing at him (_Tale Of The Brave_, anyone?) Anyway, this was definitely another triumph from Helen Farrall, which I'm glad as to why she's staying on for S20. It will be interesting to see what she can do with the new character and returnees of _SLOTLT_, and the dynamic she can create like she did with the characters here. I can't really define what few issues this episode may have. Perhaps it got a little repetitive with Stephen being known as "The Rocket", maybe that's it. Other than that, I give a **9.4/10**.

**17\. The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead**

Hmm...Andrew Brenner's back, for the first time this season. About time too as our head writer, right? Ah, well, I guess I can excuse the man since he's been so busy working on both _The Adventure Begins_ and _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_? We've had some pretty strong writing this season despite a few nitpicks here and there, but with Brenner back, does this episode work as a warm welcome back for him to form this season, and in general, it's yearly release? Well, I don't really think so, and some fans may not either. Surely _Salty All At Sea_ had it's wasted potential and _Helping Hiro_ and _A Cranky Christmas_ were pretty much filler episodes despite the wonders with the animation, but this one, well, it was rather disappointing to be honest, and went wrong with S18 put together did right. Sorry, Andrew, but this, I believe, is the worst episode since _Steamie Stafford_, something I've grown in quite less esteem of as falling between a 4 and a 5 out of 10, but this one, well, it could've been a much better episode had it any better characterization than it did in the end. What was wrong with it? Well, let's start with Phillip. He seems like an interesting character to expand upon, but in no way does he live up to the likes of _Porter_ and _Samson_ in the years before him. I get it that he's hard-working and wants to be really useful and make friends, but with all the confusion and delay he causes in this episode, I don't see much consequences coming from his actions. For instance, his relationship with Gordon. I totally get it that he wanted to befriend the big blue engine and help him, and Gordon's dismissive behavior makes him the usual ungrateful engine he is towards others at first, something that Brenner started beautifully in _The Adventure Begins_, but it felt out of place and Phillip did eventually get on Gordon's nerves, something that others don't call him out for. That's why I feel both characters were out of place, and it's almost like Gordon let Phillip get to him, so it's hard choosing sides to take. But what I can say is this, the other half of the episode is where I totally see the situation from Gordon's point of view. As for Phillip, hasn't he ever heard of signals? What he did when trying to chase after Gordon nearly caused an accident, and Thomas' reaction was "_that was close_"? It may have been a little hypocritical for Thomas to reprimand Phillip, since he actually causes a similar sort of accident in _SLOTLT_, but did he really go on to encourage Phillip to race Gordon again? At least Phillip gets reprimanded by Sir Topham Hatt first time round, but poor Gordon never would've gotten blamed for the accident had Phillip never foolishly stalked him on the other side of his line in the first place. It's a little ironic too since Gordon's cheekiness towards Thomas is partially what caused the accident in _SLOTLT_, but would he have gotten away with that had any other engines been there? Anyway, back to the episode, it was nice of Phillip to show remorse for his actions, but then to continue trying to compete with Gordon, well, the beginning of that pretty much linked back to _The Adventure Begins_ with Thomas waking Gordon, but even after Gordon says _please_, Phillip just doesn't give up, does he? It actually would have been nice to have a race between Gordon and Phillip where Gordon could take a shortcut along the express line, and then arrive at Brendam shortly after Phillip to trick him into believing that he won the race. But then again, Gordon would be setting himself up as a laughing stock the way Phillip foolishly did by convincing everyone else they were racing. And Gordon's persona at the end...

_"Shouldn't you be in another shed...with the DIESELS?"_

Come on, now. Really, Gordon? I thought you might have matured with all the stereotyping towards diesels by now. Overall, this episode may have had it's moments. The music and animation were still consistent and so is Mark Moraghan's performance, but I do feel that Rasmus Hardiker could use a bit of work on his voice for Phillip. Quite a few quirky moments of the usual humor, but what it makes it the worst episode of the season yet is the way Phillip and Gordon are developed in several area. A rather disappointing effort from Andrew Brenner, but I can forgive this one since he was busy working on two movies for the 70th anniversary, one of them in which possibly inspired this episode and the introductory character, but I really do have high hopes to see how his work turns out for _The Great Race_. I give this episode a **6/10**. Not that bad, but could have been way better had Gordon's threat to Phillip at the end of the episode been the _actual_ focus of the episode.

**18\. Best Engine Ever**

The opening shots really set the bar for the episode, and so did the lively music. As for the episode, it's my favorite out of the six, the best episode since _Lost Property_ and probably Emily's best episode yet. It really fleshes out her character, expanding upon her last moment in the spotlight from last year's release. Although, even for audiences who are familiar with Connor and Caitlan, their introduction at the beginning of the episode was a little pointless. There could have instead been an explanation to why they were coming to Sodor, possibly to drop off some important visitors. As for Connor, I don't mind his appearance, even if he was probably there to fit the theme, I don't think that makes him shoehorned in. Connor and Caitlin usually star on screen together, despite getting separate roles in the spotlight in the previous two seasons. The animation in this episode is top-notch like the rest of the season, and the streamlined Emily was a good addition to it, and definitely a great use for a plot device to define Emily's ambitions. It's nice to have more focus on the female characters of the show, although, Marion...well, her role might be a pretty good way to connect with younger female audiences, but a few things baffle me about it:

1) what is she doing in the Shunting Yards? Doesn't she have work to do at the China Clay Pits?

2) don't you think Rosie would have been a better choice for this role? Her excitement and tomboyish nature could've really worked just as well, and I'd give Andrew Brenner quite a few more points had he done something like this. Rosie's currently the most undervalued character who is currently in the show if you ask me. Stanley's in second place here, since he's had quite a couple of speaking roles this season and in _Dinos And Discoveries_, and Porter and Samson and even Gator are currently still in need of some development too, even as newer characters, but still, the untapped potential here for Rosie. Seriously, for an episode centering around female characters, it's quite a shame that she hasn't been given any more development since the new writing team took over. (sigh) Enough about that, let's move on with the review...

This episode is definitely one of Brenner's strongest works and definitely makes up for his last effort in the previous episode, but another thing that baffles me is James when Emily returns to the shed. First off, why is it always that the seemingly more arrogant engines like Gordon and James neglect feelings of others? We've had with Gordon in _SLOTLT_ with setting an unsettled conflict between Thomas and Gordon, and in this season, Gordon does it again in _Very Important Sheep_, both Phillip episode, and now with James here...

_"Maybe you'd like to be my back engine tomorrow when I take some cars up to Arlesburgh."_

...,which brings me to my next little moment of confusion. Arlesburgh? If this _entire_ season comes before the movie I've mentioned countless times in this review, why would Sir Topham Hatt send his engines to a place to a place that's not even under construction yet? Did Brenner add it in by accident because he was so willing to make a contribution to this season that he includes these things without thinking? Unless these episodes come _after_ the _Treasure_ movie, which I'm pretty sure they don't, I don't see why Brenner added it. It's a shame too, since this little issue wouldn't even be an issue, had _Start Your Engines!_ come after to the movie to tie in with the theme for the next one coming later this year? (sigh) Anyway, sorry if that issue took so long to explain, let's talk about the climax. The runaway scene was beautifully filmed and story-wise, it proved why Emily is probably my favorite female character of the show. As far the new writing goes, she may portray a bit of cheekiness towards the big engines like Gordon and James, making them feel more antagonistic than they actually are, (Tale Of The Brave, for instance), she is still a very kind and helpful engine, and always ready for action, and I'm glad that HIT continues to explore that part of her. This was a rather touching episode that set a bright future for Emily, though it's main issue for the untapped potential regarding female characters. When rumors surfaced about this episode, I could've sworn I remembered Rosie being confirmed for a Wooden Railway product, and possibly a potential role in this episode as a supporter among the female cast, but I could be wrong. Ah, well, like Emily, I can dream, can't I? Hahaha, anyway this seemed _Dream On_ done in a better fashion, though the rating would possibly be higher had Rosie been featured the way I had my expectations that she would. It's a **9.6/10** for me. A much better addition to the series from the likes of the show's head writer. Taken that the next episode, was written by him too, let's see how that was able to fair, shall we?...

**19\. Phillip To The Rescue**

Well, now. Taken from the fact that Phillip's first adventure two episodes before was rather disappointing, how much better was this? Well, a large improvement, actually. The beginning may have been pointless and the reference was an obvious filler to the 9-minute time slot, especially for those who know who Phillip is by now, but it was nice to see his personality explored a bit more. His encounter with Gordon, one of the two most arrogant engines in the Steam Team had it's ups and downs, but did Phillip manage to play off against James, the other most arrogant engine in the Steam Team? I guess...I mean, James' persona was pretty consistent here. Surely he could be a bit mature about pulling goods and dealing with Phillip whom he could've just ignored in the first place, but his resentment towards the latter character worked and so Thomas stating the hypocrisy in how James feels about Phillip.

_"That new engine. He's such a showoff. All he ever talks about himself."_

_"A showoff? That's funny coming from YOU, James."_

Even though James and Phillip made a bet on how many cars they could shunt or pull, at least Phillip wasn't responsible for the accident, like he was for almost causing for one before. This episode also had a few touching moments, particularly the throwback to _The Adventure Begins_.

_"That little boxcab can be very cheeky sometimes."_

_"Yes. Reminds me of a little tank engine who wanted to see the __world."_

You could tell here that Brenner was still using inspiration from the latter movie to develop Phillip in a similar way as he did for Thomas, and the music shone in this sequence too. Though James' character wasn't exactly original, it was nice to see once again how his arrogance gets the better of him, and the accident with him dangling over the bridge was far more believable then Neville's accident back in _Thomas And The New Engine_, especially with Arc's animation. And the fact that Phillip was the one who came to his rescue, well, this made him a far more respectable character as Thomas became back in the story of _Thomas And The Breakdown Train_. The phone call sequence after James' accident was also brilliantly filmed, and proves how much Sir Topham Hatt shows concern over the safety of his railway. And as for the ending, it was nice to see James showing remorse for his actions, and also his attitude towards Phillip. However, I do feel, though, that Phillip was also being quite hypocritical towards the end. Edward couldn't have explained it any better than he did. The reaction was delivered quite well and humorously though, and Phillip's excuse made everyone laugh (except Gordon, which I'll get on to next), and it's nice to see how even Edward can take this sort of humor, especially since he tried to convey a point to Phillip. However, the ending proved that Phillip and Gordon's rivalry hasn't been settled yet. Perhaps it will be in _The Great Race_. They are seen beside each other in the shot of the engines chuffing and singing together after all, and pretty comfortable around each other too (you can check the Behind-The-Scenes feature of the film if you don't know what I'm talking about). It will nice in future to see how their conflict resolves. Anyway, this was a much better way to develop Phillip into a more likable character, and perhaps an example of someone who helps out despite what others say about you. I give it an **8.3/10**.

**Overall Thoughts of _Start Your Engines!_**

Overall, _Start Your Engines!_ was a definite improvement on last year's batch of episodes on _Dinos And Discoveries_. That theme was something that seemed hard to do, but the writers tried their hardest. Here, the writing seemed more consistent to fit in with such a broad theme like racing, though a few of the episodes could've stuck more to the theme, particularly the last one. Nevertheless, this was an easier theme to follow, even something with as much potential _Spills And Thrills_ still remains the strongest among the direct-to-DVD releases by far, but who knows, maybe next year's batch of episodes might be able to pull all three out of the bag. Who knows? Bradford The Brake Van is most likely to debut in a direct-to-DVD episode like all the other new characters, but who knows? Perhaps he might be introduced earlier on in the next season. Back to _Start Your Engines!_, well, I had high hopes that it would be better than both yearly releases before it, but sadly, what prevents from living up to _Spills And Thrills_ is Phillip's persona. While Porter was introduced as a great role model on younger audiences and Samson did the same with his stubbornness and arrogance, Phillip seems more like a metaphor for younger audiences who have yet to learn life lessons the way Phillip did here. Had he been given any more proper development through than he did in the end, this release, I believe, would've set a benchmark for yearly releases as I thought it would once I first heard of it, particularly because racing is a very interesting theme to follow against the likes of what we got from the six in S17-18. Speaking of racing, there's something that irks me a bit. If I were the writers, I wouldn't spent so much time focusing on this season being a gap between S18 and _SLOTLT_, because frankly, that's where this season stumbled with filler episodes, something I'll get more into in the last six episodes this season. If I were Andrew Brenner, or possibly one of the fellow writers on the team, I would suggest the _Treasure_ movie coming BETWEEN the season and not AFTER it. That way, wouldn't it have been interesting to possibly have the movie come either after the Christmas episodes and before the ones in January, which would eventually lead to these six as the usual direct-to-DVD finale to the season? Or possibly have the ones from January air along with the first 9 episodes of the season from September and March altogether before Christmas? Maybe then the _Treasure_ movie could've come after all that and before _Start Your Engines!_, which could've potentially tied in with _The Great Race_, something Brenner could've easily prepared for with his participation in the other half of this release. Taken that Phillip had noting with _Treasure_, not even a cameo, it would've made more sense and not leave the audience in such "chronological confusion" as to air the episodes before after a movie that takes place AFTER it. Anyway, that's my review for _Start Your Engines!_ Moving on, we have the last six episodes of season 19 that aired on NHK in January. How well did those episodes do? Well, how about we read on and find out...

**20\. No Help At All**

Upon hearing about this one confirmed for NHK as _Come Back Timothy_, this seems like a more rounded title. As for the episode itself, it was quite heartwarming to be honest, even if it was pretty much a filler episode, taking place during the events of _Salty All At Sea_, _Den And Dart_ and possibly _Best Engine Ever_, though it does seem a bit confusing since while the first two mentioned episodes aired during the same week so they possibly take place at the same time, but _for the last one? I'm a little confused about that one since Start Your Engines!_, I think, takes place after the Christmas episodes this season. Maybe this one should have aired after _Den And Dart_ and before _Helping Hiro_ to avoid possible confusion, but I understood the continuity so it's fine with me. As for the plot, I quite liked it. Yes, it was another Timothy with Bill and Ben episode where the twins seem to be taken seriously, only here it seems more believable than it did in _Timothy And The Rainbow Truck/Car_, though how would Sir Topham Hatt take Bill and Ben seriously by believing that Timothy being "ho help at all"? Judging how glad he was to see him at the end after the Clay Pits were in a mess, you would think that Sir Topham Hatt realizes that Timothy takes his job more seriously, no matter how hard they all work. As for the rest of the characters, I loved Porter in this episode. Probably his biggest role since _Spills &amp; Thrills_, and better than the wasted potential he had back in _Salty All At Sea_. The rendition of _Down By The Docks_ was quite catchy and the main thing that made this episode so memorable; it's too bad it was so short :(:(:(. As for the humor in this episode, it quite lived up to the standards of the usual fair, especially the dynamic between Sir Topham Hatt and Bill and Ben, where Sir Topham eventually loses his patience. Quite a few chuckles there. As for the ending, it was nice getting Salty and Porter in clearing up the mess, though Marion being forgotten confused me a bit. This episode really worked in several areas despite being a filler episode and I'm glad to call it a favorite. **9/10**.

**21\. Wild Water Rescue**

Hmm, I've come a long way with what I think about this one. When confirmed for DVD release last year with five episodes from season sixteen, I watched the trailer and I got excited. The plot sounded something like _Too Many Fire Engines_, and as brilliant as that episode was, I was pretty sure this episode would possibly capture the same spirit through characterization from the Search And Rescue Team. So I waited a month and was able to view the first five S19 episodes on _Whale Of A Tale_, this one coming out a week later. But how did this one do? Well, at first, I felt a little mixed about it, mainly because it didn't use the Rescue Team in a way that I expected it to, having some sort of development that earns them a new alarm bell. But hey, they made their contribution to the plot at the end with 1001st rescue, didn't they? As for the other characters, yes, Thomas is pretty much shoehorned in as usual, but he did work as a plot device by trying to convince Percy of his excitement otherwise, and by showing suspicion over Diesel's disappointment. As for the two main characters, well, Percy and Diesel play off against each other nicely once more, and it's fun to explore after about three seasons, since they truly shone on screen together in another episode on the disc. However, shouldn't Percy know by now not to take Diesel too seriously? I mean, I'm pretty sure he should know better, especially after being tricked by him in _Day Of The Diesels_, but other than that, mentioning Sir Topham Hatt would surely sound convincing for any young engine like Percy, even if he's grown and matured since _Tale Of The Brave_. As for Diesel, his devious persona is captured quite well, and it's nice to see some remorse shown from the character in both episodes with him in the spotlight. At first, it didn't quite flow with me, since Diesel never usually regrets his behavior, but now I'm thinking about it, and this episode actually show a kind-hearted side out of Diesel in a way that _Diesel's Special Delivery_ failed. And Sir Topham Hatt's character, well, shouldn't he know as well that Diesel shouldn't be taken too seriously? Diesel's been on Sodor long enough for him to realize that, though I could tell it was done because:

1) Sir Topham Hatt didn't want to look silly in front of The Mayor

2) it helped to move the story along.

But then again, both Sir Topham Hatt and The Mayor should've figured by the time Diesel tried to get in the photograph that something was up. Ah, well, since it was necessary to the plot, I'll just let it slide. Now about the voice cast, well, I wasn't too keen on Christopher Ragland's performance to start with, but now I'm growing on it a bit more. And Nigel Pilkington, well, after seeing his performances during the schedule in September, I became more familiar with them by the time _Very Important Sheep_ aired in Australia over Christmas and on Channel 5 in March, so I could say I'm pretty used to his voiceover work. The rest of the voice cast was spot on, including Mark Monaghan of course, and the music was upbeat and lively and truly set the mood for the episode. Overall, it's a character-driven story and a good effort from Becky Overton, so I give this one an **8.6/10**. Not quite what I expected from an episode centering on the Search And Rescue Center, but definitely better than their next episode for sure...

**22\. The Other Side Of The Mountain**

I don't know. With Rheneas' voice actor being confirmed this season, I thought this would be it, but it wasn't. Thomas was given the lead role yet _again_ and honestly, this episode is a more obvious filler than the previous one but how did it do? Well, the fact that it was a filler and that Thomas was featured as the main character for the umpteenth time, I was quite disappointed by this one. Surely it builds upon the dynamic between Thomas and Bertie with Annie and Clarabel, but because of that, it felt like _Thomas' Shortcut_ all over again, especially with that crash. Now about Thomas' persona, well, that's what irked me most about this episode. After working on the railway for so many years and being given his own branch line, you would've thought by now that he had more common sense than he did in this episode. But when he missed the signal, boy, did that prove signs of how rushed the characterization was of Thomas in this episode, and therefore, poorly executed. I liked the way Butch was featured, though, as a voice of reason for Thomas, and I got a good laugh out of Thomas getting his own back at Bertie by joking with him. It does give a bit of a moral that this episode about being able to dream about things that don't happen in reality (believe me, it happens to me all the time). But other than that, it was a bit of a letdown and worse than _The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead_. Maybe if someone more inquisitive like Paxton, or maybe Sidney, was given the spotlight, it would work but with Thomas, no. It didn't. This episode did have its moments, but lost for me in Thomas' characterization, so therefore, I believe I found myself the worst episode of the season in my opinion. **5.5/10**.

**23\. Thomas The Babysitter**

When hearing about this one, it sounded like something never done in the series before, and I was very excited for it. What could a baby-themed Thomas episode possibly be about? After watching the previous episode, I was afraid this one might stumble as well, in the end, but did it? No, actually. I really enjoyed this one. Much better than the previous episode, especially with Thomas in the spotlight again. The shots of Thomas' branch line also worked, and Annie and Clarabel were featured quite well, especially with their communication with Henrietta and Thomas' cheekiness towards them.

_"Just remember who's puling you."_

I felt like their singing voices could've been better, but lol, maybe it was done to move the plot along and keep the conflict of the crying baby flowing. I felt Toby was a little out of character though, by asking:

_"What's making that awful noise?"_

Maybe both he could've made a better contribution to the plot by giving Thomas advice on how to handle the baby. But then there was one moment where Thomas lacked a bit of common sense by deciding not to stop at every station. At least his two coaches got that mistake right, unlike the previous episode where they could have probably stopped Thomas from being so careless. As for Sir Topham Hatt, I got quite a few chuckles out of his tactics as well towards the baby. But Thomas' characterization at the end, well, I gotta say it makes up for the way he was executed in the last episode. This persona is exactly what Thomas is, helpful and resourceful, something that was carried beautifully in _Lost Property_ and it was definitely another highlight here. The music fit well with the scene too. The time lapses were amazing, and so was the shot of Thomas passing the windmill. Yes, it must've been stock footage from the _Treasure_ movie, proving that these January episodes were indeed produced after the movie (probably with the exception of _Wild Water Rescue_ which was released back in June), with another example being the _We Make A Team Together_ instrumental two episodes before. Nevertheless, this seems less like a filler episode than the last couple episodes before it and instead like a natural slice-of-life story that we saw in the previous two seasons. **9.1/10**.

**24\. Rocky Rescue**

Hmm..._Rocky __Rescue_? That's a funny name for a title, isn't it? Nevertheless, I kept my hopes up for this one as a way to develop the Rocky character further, but how did it turn out? Well, to be honest, it was rather disappointing to be honest, and probably the most obvious example for a filler episode this season. I somehow look at this as a wasted opportunity to bring back Jerome and Judy. I just don't know about this one. Even after 1001 rescues, Rocky seems like the only one in the Rescue Team with common sense throughout the episode. Honestly, everyone I'm familiar with from the team should have be smarter and much less arrogant than they were in this episode. At least their stupidity didn't become the center of the episode like Thomas' did two episodes before. Surely this behavior from the team portrayed the moral of the episode that it's better when you work together as a team, but other than that, I was not impressed. If the boulder was pointed downhill, why were the men trying to release it from THE OTHER SIDE? Why would Henry puff away after his accident? He should have just waited for Rocky to take to the SteamWorks. This behavior was something you'd expect more out of James or possibly Spencer, but then again? Would their drivers allow them to do so, (Spencer's driver seeming invisible for the third time, and 2nd time in a row of a single season), but then maybe Henry's crew didn't reach him in time, but that didn't show, did it? And again, Thomas' shoehorning. Wouldn't someone else from the Rescue Team, Belle maybe, have been a better choice? One less character of the Team to act out of character then, huh? How would I think Jerome and Judy could have made a contribution to the plot? Well, maybe another engine (Thomas perhaps, for the shoehorning :):):)) could have passed through the Rescue Center with them and the two cranes could see what's it's really like and maybe feel a little left out. The audience could definitely feel for them there, couldn't they? Maybe then the "working together" could be attempted with the team and not work out so Jerome and Judy would be needed after all. That would be a nice way to incorporate them into the series, but no. Instead, we got another example of wasted potential. Not the first time it's happened this season. This is not necessarily a bad episode, but it's not very good either. It's nothing but another filler episode to bring the season before the _Treasure_ movie for whatever reason, except not much came from that aspect. Other then that, the music and animation were the usual fair (aside from that issue with the boulder, I must digress...) and so was the voice cast, even if I need a bit more adjusting to Flynn's new voice. On the whole, it's my second least favorite of the season after _The Other Side Of The __Mountain_. It's a **5.6/10** at it's best. Not that bad, but could've been better, and therefore it's a rushed attempt from Davey Moore.

**25\. Goodbye, Fat Controller/Good Bye, Sir**

This one really sounded like a weird one when I looked to translate it from the NHK airing schedule. "Topham And Say Good Bye To"? To be honest, it sounded rather emotional like maybe it will deal with the passing of Sir Topham or maybe the Dowager, and how the engines would cope with it. As much as I thought about tragedy being featured within the series, I got a little nervous but somehow excited for how such a weird title would execute into something that the writers could keep consistent, maybe for a finale. _Goodbye, Fat Controller_ was the actual upon airing and possibly _Goodbye, Sir_ in the US. But then again, how did this do, even for a season finale? Honestly, I loved it. The episode has a lot of heart to it, and felt like _Trouble In The Shed_, especially with Percy in the spotlight. But do you want to know what caught my attention half a minute in?

_"Oh, bother that telephone! Excuse me."_

And then there was that chattering among the men at the platform. Hearing this, it makes the conflict believable, especially for a young engine like Percy. The instrumental rendition of _Sir Topham Hatt_ from _Misty Island Rescue_ was catchy, and so was the music throughout. But I'm surprised that Edward was among the engines who agreed to the strike. I'm pretty sure he's nothing of a snitch, but him informing Sir Topham Hatt would have probably been a better way to be careful with handling his character. But then again, Edward wouldn't want Sir Topham Hatt to leave Sodor either now, would he? Other than that, it was a fantastic episode with a moral that was executed very well. The conflict was so involving that it made it sound for a moment near the end like Sir Topham Hatt was being robbed. But no, it was being redecorated, and these things happen in reality, so it's pretty much well drawn-out and resolved here. The humor was consistent throughout, especially at the end with Sir Topham Hatt's _temporary_ office and the telephone ringing. His reaction to hearing about the strike was funny too, and somehow gave an idea of what the reaction would be should a followup to _The __Adventure Begins_ ever be made with _Troublesome Engines_ being incorporated in. Overall, it was a brilliant finale and on par with _Best Engine Ever_ for my second favorite of the season. **9.6/10**.

**Overall Views:**

On the whole, season 19 started off with a bang, indulging upon plot ideas that were possibly left over from season 18 and the first six would've worked better as part of the previous season for direct-to-DVD episodes than _Dinos And Discoveries_ did. From _Salty All At Sea_ onwards, it became pretty much a filler season with the result being hit-or-miss. The Christmas episodes weren't all that bad, but didn't live up to the ones _Santa's Little Engine_ or _The Christmas Engines_. _Start Your Engines!_, like I said, was an obvious improvement on _Dinos And Discoveries_, mainly because racing was an easier theme to follow than the year before where the theme fit mostly on episodes revolving around the Earl's Dinosaur Park, which was sadly not featured this season, and neither was Samson. A shame too, because it would be nice to see how his character could mature. As for the last six episodes, well, that's where the hit-or-miss aspect really kicked in. With certain elements I've noticed in _Thomas The Babysitter_ and _No Help At All_, it's apparent these episodes were produced after _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_, but instead they were intentionally brought before it to continue along the rote formula of the series. Series 19 is in no way a bad season. It is, on the whole, still better then _Steamie Stafford_, my least favorite from the new writing team by far, but in most areas, it didn't live up to what made series 17-18 the best since season 2. I would say this is on par with season 6, though the storytelling occasionally treads along the same routes of S3-5, but still better then S7-8 and definitely near where S9-16 failed. My problem is that, while it was fine of them to use some strong storytelling that probably remained unused from the previous season to incorporate here as leftovers, but to bring the whole season before a movie that's being released in the same year is too much for the team to handle, especially when their leader Andrew Brenner is not around and busy writing for _The Adventure Begins_. You could tell that after season 18 was over that production on this season had possibly started because it was announced right afterwards, but if the team in a hurry to produce all the strong plot ideas they had left, that's excusable...until the audience realizes that we're seeing not much new material out of the new episodes, perhaps aside from a cameo by Trevor and Jack, who might potentially be developed by the new writers next season. But I'd say that this season probably should've aired earlier than it did, perhaps around the same time as _SLOTLT_, than on the airing day of _Very Important Sheep_, the movie could've been released with episodes taking place after it to follow. But no, instead we had numerous filler episodes. After _Helping Hiro_, it became painfully obvious, but the last few episodes, especially since they came out after the direct-to-DVD episodes which usually end the season, well, that was just the icing on the cake for me. I do hope season 20 does better, and it probably will, now that the writers know for sure that they can expand upon the movie that is set before it (we all know which one that is, right? haha), but then again, a lack of ideas could get the better of the following season should the writers get things wrong once again, and the other half, maybe around the Christmas slot or direct-to-DVD episodes, it could possibly become another filler, which is more likely impossible now that they have more characters where were either introduced or brought in the preceding movie to work with before _The Great Race_. I just hope things stay consistent and better-flowing enough for season 20 to _at least_ surpass season 18 and where it went wrong with _Dinos And Discoveries_. Having said that, I look forward to when it starts airing, but why the US hasn't gotten a Walmart Exclusive sneak peek of the episodes like we do every year now is a mystery. Overall, the storytelling season was mostly consistent from where season 18 left off, but went downhill in areas where it proved to be a filler season for a _possible_ gap between writing and releasing _TAB_ and _SLOTLT_, which is unnecessary since the first of a latter is a re-imagining of the first two RWS books and not from the modern-day point of view. The animation in this season remained top-notch as did Robert Hartshorn's score. I could safely by this point that he lives up to Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell, no matter how much the two are missed. It's been 12 to 13 years now, it's time we got over their departure and appreciate the changes that HIT are offering for the best. The music videos are usual fair from what we've seen, mainly because they shine mostly when it comes to feature-length productions. I am impressed with the record this season holds for new songs, though, since the tenth season and the rendition of _Down By The Docks_ was my favorite among the songs, despite being short-lived.

The voice acting was no better, no worse from the returning cast, though I do feel newbies for Thomas and Percy could use a bit of work. Christopher Ragland and Nigel Pilkington are getting there with Percy, though I still feel they need some getting used to. John Hasler's also getting there with Thomas, though where the characterization went wrong with the #1 tank engine this season, John's tried his best, but out of all the newcomers, Joseph May stole the show as Thomas in the US. Martin Sherman's had a few issues with the character himself despite the youthful and mature nature he provided, but Joseph May's performance is something I'm growing to, and look forward to seeing more out of by next season. As James's new voice, well Rob Rackstraw's getting there, though a bit of work on Toby and Flynn's voices, methinks. One performance I'm getting a bit of a stick for though is Tim Whitnall. I thought he was amazing at first, but now I'm exploring his performances a bit more, and I believe he needs to add more variety while voicing multiple characters. I mean, observing voices like Timothy, Reg and most recently in the following movie, Mike, he kinda makes them all the sound the same, doesn't he? Aside from that, the voice acting this season was pretty a great deal of effort, but what is it all compared to Mark Moraghan's superb narration? This man has all the charisma and spectacle that made him my favorite since S17-18 and most recently _The Adventure Begins_, and that hasn't been lost since the storytelling took a nose-dive this season and I'm truly impressed. Keep up the good work, Mark!

As for the season itself, it was a slightly lesser achievement from the progress we've had in the last two years. I bet you all season 20 will a large improvement shall the writers find more material to work with besides the Steam Team and current characters besides Thomas, but maybe Andrew's participation in the season will help that. On the whole, this season gets an **8.5/10**. And now one more thing to review, or re-look at before this review is complete...

I bet you guys have all been wondering what took me so long to finish reviewing this season. It was only a few months ago before the last six episodes aired on NHK that I made my latest update to this fanfic. I also needed time to look over the episodes as well as _Start Your Engines!_ and now I'm pretty convinced on how I feel about them. But why have this review been held back? Well, for one thing, the episodes have never been released in HD format until March with _Start Your Engines!_, and another, well, it all sums up in one word starting with the letter V: VIACOM! Oh, god, the dreadful thought of how much effort they've put into the airing schedule as the parenting company behind Channel 5 just makes sick to the stomach! Back in January, I was slightly at their defense, mainly because I've discovered this article on _Why Viacom Is Beefing Up Channel 5_? I felt something screwy about that title the moment I first laid eyes on it. I skimmed through the article and figured that more mature television brands were their main priority. However, upon further inspection, I realized the investments they've made meant they had their eyes on Channel 5 Milkshake! all along, and compared to what we've been given since the fall where the first portion of this season was all supposed to air before Christmas, I must say, I'm not too impressed. They've done well with how they've started back in September, and it was successful, given the fact that the episodes were of better quality and everything was flowing smoothly (sigh)...until..._The Afternoon Tea Express_?! Yep, followed by some odd rerun of season sixteen, and then seventeen and eighteen, and we've had our hopes up all along. Sad, just sad. On top of that, the Christmas schedule was a complete disappointment, especially since the ones from this season aired in the NEW YEAR, and out of order too from what I've looked further into, but still, I'll never get why _Diesel's Ghostly Christmas_ was the odd one out and still hadn't managed to make it's way onto Channel 5 as of now. At least they the ones from the Spring week in order. But I do believe from a post that Ian McCue from the SIF Blog has given on what was wrong with the airing schedule for season 19, we've been promised _Start Your Engines!_ for Channel 5 in the spring, and unless they air after the current season 18 rerun is over, I'm just going to assume that Ian was given the wrong information from the fellas over at Viacom, who are possibly lying not only to him but to their audience, because 1) they don't appreciate interference from their audience with things that are under the company's control (which I understand, to a certain degree) and 2) they just can't be bothered to deal with all the material that their audience expects from them, even when they're the ones who own the material and have all the rights to how they're broadcasted and when. Having said that, the main thing I believe Viacom has proven since they've become in charge of Channel 5 is that they have very little respect for the brands they've invested in, or their audience in general, and instead care about how much profit they make through their investments. Maybe if the rest of season 19 aired this week after the S18 rerun, I'd possibly be wrong...for the time being. But other than that, I look forward to seeing how much farther Viacom will go with Philippe Dauman in charge, but until then, I'm left with mixed feelings with how season 20 is going to fair. The fact that the US hasn't gotten a Walmart Exclusive yet worries me that the first glimpse we're gonna see of it is AFTER _The Great Race_, which is bound to be set after the season. Anyway, the important thing is that this season, despite a few quibbles, ended on a high note, and until then, bring on Season 20 and _The Great Race_!

**My Rankings From Best To Worst**

**#1. Favorite Episode: Lost Property - 10/10**

**2\. Best Engine Ever - 9.6/10**

**3\. Goodbye, Fat Controller/Sir - 9.6/10**

**4\. Two Wheels Good - 9.5/10**

**5\. Den And Dart - 9.4/10**

**6\. Toad And The Whale - 9.4/10**

**7\. Slow Stephen - 9.4/10**

**8\. Diesel's Ghostly Christmas - 9.4/10**

**9\. Thomas The Babysitter - 9.1/10**

**10\. Who's Geoffrey? - 9/10**

11\. Very Important Sheep - 9/10

12\. No Help At All - 9/10

13\. The Truth About Toby - 8.6/10

14\. Snow Place Like Home - 8.6/10

15\. Wild Water Rescue - 8.6/10

16\. The Beast Of Sodor - 8.5/10

17\. Henry Spots Trouble - 8.4/10

18\. Reds Vs. Blues - 8.4/10

19\. Phillip To The Rescue - 8.3/10

20\. A Cranky Christmas - 8/10

21\. Salty All At Sea - 7.625/10

22\. Helping Hiro - 7.5/10

23\. The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead - 6/10

24\. Rocky Rescue - 5.625/10

25\. **Least Favorite:** The Other Side Of The Mountain - 5.5/10

**WHAT'S YOUR RANKING?**


	34. The Great Race (2016)

(Eight months have passed since Season 19 finished airing in the UK, followed by numerous US and UK DVD releases for the latter season. It's been about a year has since _The Adventure Begins_ and _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ were released for the 70th anniversary. Looking back, they're both my favorite Thomas movies (SLTOTL gets a re-rating of 9.3/10 and TAB gets 9.6/10), but later on in the fall, _The Great Race_ was announced for release in 2016, coinciding with the release of the much anticipated Season 20. Did _The Great Race_ managed to surpass any other Thomas movies over the past years, or even _TAB_ and _SLOTLT_? If you wanna hear my opinion, read on and find out?

**1\. Plot**

First hearing about the plot, I was excited yet surprised at the same time. Over the past couple of years, Andrew Brenner and his team used elements from the Railway Series in a rather old-fashioned and nostalgic way. But I'd never thought they'd actually create a concept based on a RWS book (Thomas And The Great Railway Show and Thomas Comes Home), and having the big engines laugh at Thomas really gave it that RWS feeling (as it did in the ACTUAL movie). But the question is: how did the idea of the Great Railway Show turn out in the end?

...I'm going to be honest. Not to the best of it's potential, and I'm saying that because I've noticed several plot holes as I've constantly watched clips leading up to when I FINALLY got the chance to watch the full movie. Thomas gets the lead role for the umpteenth time, and believe me, he wasn't the only character who could have potentially worked as the main character here; perhaps Percy (maybe a bit too soft of a character to be a bit rude to Ashima, though seeing seeing his classic dynamic with Harold in _Letters To Santa_) or maybe even James, who rudeness and jealousy towards Ashima could have worked, but I guess his participation in the Best Decorated Engine competition was fair enough for his character. But Gordon is probably the best candidate whom _I_ would have considered as a replacement. His dynamic with the Flying Scotsman could have been expanded upon, and perhaps the story could have focused on him adjusting to his streamlining features, and perhaps he could have overcome it with Ashima's help, but it seemed realistic that half of his story arc here took place at the SteamWorks, as the workmen took a necessary amount of time to get him ready for the Show.

But instead, we were left with a plot with that was rather...decent, so to say. It was hit-or-miss, and it had it's advantages. Probably a few more than disadvantages. The story flowed here, but some plot points were sort of unnecessary, and the way in which the Thomas and Ashima story arc is started is what I'm talking about in particular. But to me, it was fixed after their musical number, and picked up around there for that fact. It was an **okay** plot overall, with it's ups and down. I think that a **6/10** would a reasonable rating to give it.

**2\. Character Development**

Hmm, the characters. Well, like _The Lost Treasure_, there is much I want to talk about in terms of characters: some positive, some negative, and others being somewhere around the middle. It's like I said in the last section, Thomas being the lead character for the umpteenth time DID NOT have to be the case, even if the book in which this film is based off of centers around him going to the Great Railway Show. Since Percy would have never behaved in any particular way that Thomas did towards Ashima...and neither would have Emily despite getting a very fitting starring role and lesson to learn in S19, maybe one of the _other _big engines (not talking about Percy of course, lol) could have been the lead instead. I've already discussed Gordon and James in the last section, but maybe Henry's also been too soft of a character these days to gang up against Ashima in the way that Thomas did, but let's get the main point here: the moment Ashima was introduced, her dynamic with Thomas (and I'm talking about the way he behaved towards her) was not justified. Thomas' jealousy and rudeness towards Ashima did not work for his character whatsoever (even if he was jealous towards Stanley at first as well). But their story arc built up after _You Can Only Be You_, and the dynamic between the two was more entertaining to watch once Thomas had some sense knocked into him. I'm sorry, but Thomas' personality flaws didn't work like they did in the preceding movie, and it created ACTUAL flaws for the movie itself. But Thomas' character got better and better from where the Shunting Challenge arc started, and you feel excited for him when Sir Topham Hatt, with pen and paper in hand, asks Percy where he is, and you feel sorry for him when he doesn't get to go to the Great Railway Show. Thomas racing to the rescue to bring Gordon his safety valve really added much more and defined the true spirit of helping out a friend in need, even if he DID travel all the way over there for nothing at first regarding Gordon's failure. However, Thomas saving Phillip and THEN sacrifcing his spot in the first place was just the icing on the cake.

Now onto other major characters, perhaps I'd like to continue by talking about Ashima. I don't know. There's not really much to say about her, but she isn't a bad character whatsoever. Surely she's like Gator with her moralistic value and Ryan in the way that she is the unintentional subject of Thomas' jealousy, but other than that, she makes an impact on younger audiences in her own right by standing by the "be yourself" motto, though older audiences (perhaps myself for instance) needn't learn too much from this character, just the good that derives from her character and appreciate it. As far as Steam Team characters go, well, I'm pretty surprised despite major flaws in the storyline that everyone else besides Thomas is in character, (mainly because Thomas is a character whom you can develop any way, really, depending on how the plot is set, because his personality varies); Gordon and James' reaction to Thomas wanting to go to the Great Railway Show is exactly what you'd expect from the two more arrogant, and Emily is also written well, despite her sisterly figure characterization being standard by this point, but it worked here for the story though, and that's what matters. Not much to say about Percy and Henry. Surely Percy should've learnt more self-esteem since _Tale Of The Brave_, but _I_ believe his motives by dropping from the competition were justified, because he didn't want to replace Thomas, and it was basically a powerful sacrifice that he made for his best friend, like Thomas did for Ashima. And Henry, well, that was my only problem with the Steam Team characters. Henry has proven in the recent season that he can pull the express just as well as Gordon, so was it really hard for him to pull so heavy loads? He could have easily won, but it was a forced plot point all to make Thomas "Sodor's Last Hope". Surely, Gordon's failure was too, but at least we saw his arrogance rightfully get the better of him, and it taught the moral of patience very well too (since Gordon forgot his safety valve)

The next character I probably want to talk about is Philip, since he connects with the Steam Team in some way. Phillip plays a decent role, but unlike S20, this doesn't add much for his character. He was a good choice for Sodor's mascot, though Stephen, being present would have worked just as fine too, but since Phillip is so native to Knapford and Stephen to Ulfstead, it makes sense. But it was forced in order to build Phillip and Vinnie's breif story arc. It would have been better if Phillip had stood up to Vinnie, but it was rather forced so that Thomas and Ashima could display distinctive character development from earlier on in the movie, I think I'll forgive this. What I CAN'T forgive though is how even after Ashima saved him, Phillip still hasn't changed his attitude about her.

"Told you she'd be trouble"

Either that, or maybe he was just rooting for Thomas, but the fact Phillip showed concern by helping to look for Ashima near the end, perhaps that might have said something about his gratitude for her...if she even realized that she was behind Thomas while the rescue happened. I think I'll talk more about Phillip in my S20 review. Moving on, let's discuss Diesel's little subplot. At first, I found it a tad bit forced, but in the end, his antagonistic nature worked well, and it helped to create conflict set the barrier for Thomas heading to the Great Railway Show. Were Den, Dart, Norman and Paxton very compatible henchmen? Perhaps 'Arry and Bert could have been more willing and involved. I don't see how the other diesels were willing to help Diesel with his plan, particularly Paxton who happens to be on very good terms with the steam engines. And why is Cranky taking Diesel seriously? (the crate scene) Surely, Cranky may not be the wisest, but I think he surely knows better than to fall for Devious Diesel's tricks? A little suspicous inquiring from Cranky would be better there, wouldn't it?

The Flying Scotsman is a character I want to talk about in particular. Andrew Brenner has surely done his homework with this character. As a result, the Flying Scotsman is probably one of the highlights of the entire special, and his rivalry/dynamic works wonders and something I'd like to see more of as the series progresses. However, it would have been some pretty solid character development if the Flying Scotsman went back and helped Gordon instead of continuing the race. It would show the power of brotherhood when brothers help each other out, but maybe that's something that can be explored in the series.

Not really much to say about the Railway Show contestants despite the fact that they're all one-offs, but what I _can_ say is that Ashima was the only one that I was looking forward to, and she exceeded my expectations to a good degree. However, Vinnie's one that I'd like to talk briefly about. I'm glad he was a one-off, but I do feel it could have worked if Phillip had stood up for himself, but it was a wasted opportunity and THANK GOD! the matter was resolved when Thomas and Ashima came to Phillip' rescue and played off some strong character development.

Annie and Clarabel's role in this movie expanded upon their characters to some extent. While they _are_ Thomas' coaches, claiming that they are _their own coaches_ tells us that it's mainly based on the course of courtesy and respect, and what Thomas did to them by leaving them on a siding to be repainted set the fallout scene rather nicely. Too bad there wasn't a clear resolution on how Thomas made up with his faithful coaches. At least he didn't leave them _in_ the middle of nowhere like he did in _Down The Mine_, but that was Britt Allcroft's stupid mistake so I commend Andrew Brenner for not doing the same. Overall, the characterization in this film surely added to an otherwise lackluster story, though judging how Thomas, Phillip and Vinnie were handled, there _were_ problems. **7/10**.

**3\. Narration/Voice Acting**

In past reviews of films, some of the strongest points I gave was towards the performances, and I can pretty much say about the same here. Mark Moraghan picks up his game once more and truly shines despite reading off an inferior script. The voice cast, while not perfect, does probably about the same. John Halser and Joseph May both return to the role of Thomas with much enthusiasm, and while the rest of the supporting cast is great, Nigel Pilkington is getting better as Percy, but even as a US fan, I'm gonna say that Christopher Ragland could still use some work for the US dub. Rufus Jones was off a great start as the Flying Scotsman, but the standout performance would have to be Tina Desai as Ashima. She carried both the voice and singing in a very distinctive way from the rest of the cast, and added an essential charm to the character. Overall, the voice cast was consistent as it was from the rest of the series, as was Mark Moraghan's extraordinary narration. **9.5/10**.

**4\. Animation**

Well, now, Arc. What much is there more to say? This probably is their last movie, isn't it, after four years of success on the show, and still one more season to go. I'd have to say they went out with a bang. The panning shots are to perfection, as is the beautiful scenery of Sodor and the mainland. I can never really complain about Arc, but I can only really explain how amazing they are with their work as summed in just a couple of words. It's really a shame to see them go, but I think I've heard that some representatives of the company have signed for Jam Filled Productions as well. I can't wait to see how they do with the animation for the show, because they have big shoes to fill on such short notice (I believe we were notified about Nitrogen resigning and Arc signing on about a year and a half in advance). Overall, the animation for this film was a great way to form as a sendoff to Arc, despite a few nitpicks, like Annie and Clarabel being missing from Ashima in one shot. Other than that, **9.5/10**.

**5\. Music/Songs**

Hmm, now the music. I was sad to hear that Robert and Peter Hartshorne had left because of an expired contract, but how was Chris Renshaw as a replacement? Well...in short, simply amazing! Yes, I'm pretty our brand new composer will continue off from the Hartshornes left off, and so far I'm really enjoying Chris Renshaw's score, as a couple Season 20 episodes have aired as well. I have much confidence in Renshaw for that fact. Now for the songs. Hmm, the idea of turning a Thomas film into a musical adventure might have been inspired from the early idea to turn into a musical, which never came into fruition. But here, Andrew Brenner writes songs especially for the film, and how did it work out? Well, as a matter of fact, it was a great idea as the songs fit right in with the storyline. I'm surprised that Brenner took the liberty to write songs for the movie. _Will You, Won't You Take Me To The Railway Show?_ was a nice way to start it off and as ensemble song featuring engines from all over Sodor, it really worked and the voices blended right in with the song. _Streamlining_, which I've first heard a snippet of from the Behind-The-Scenes feature, was...alright, I guess. Both Hasler and May had great vocals, but somehow it was my least favorite out of all the songs in the movie, as was Gordon's reprise _The Shooting Star Is Coming Through_. There's nothing terribly wrong with them, I just thought the others were much stronger, and they _did_ inspire to include _Main Line-ing_ in a similar style in my _Adventures Of_ stories, so at the end of the day, they'll do. _I'm Full Of Surprises_, well, I must say is a song that surely is full of surprises, now, isn't it? I first heard it briefly during the trailer, and somehow, I've found very catchy just by hearing it. But how well did it do as a song here? Quite well, actually. It sets up Diesel's motives very well, and it really reminds of a few Disney Villain songs, particularly from the Disney Renaissance. I like it how started in a minor key for Diesel to alert his fellow diesels, and then shifted into a major key. It's too bad it was too short, but the reprise _He's Full Of Surprises_ during the end credits, while rehashed, was a nice way to blend the diesels' singing voices. _You Can Only Be You_ was a touching song for Thomas and Ashima to sing on and set their dynamic rather nicely so it's in 2nd place among my favorite songs of the movie. Now, my personal favorite would have to be _Be Who You Are And Go Far_, which features Thomas and his friends singing together in harmony, and I loved it. Even though it was sort of strange for Percy and Phillip to sing have six wheels when they only have four, the song was beautiful way to end off the movie. Overall, the music in this film wasn't as strong as it was during _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ (mainly since that one had my two personal favorite songs written for a Thomas movie), but as a musical, it works, and it's definitely something that can expanded and improved upon in future. **9/10**.

**6\. Length**

Hmm, the length. Not too much to say here. The pacing was alright; one half centered on Thomas' journey on Sodor and the other half focused on the Railway Show. But it wasn't quite as action-packed as _Tale Of The Brave_ or _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_. **7.5/10**

**7\. Writing**

Well, now. The writing. Surely Brenner has won us over in the past with his skills as a writer, even when it comes to feature-length specials. _Blue Mountain Mystery_ was a nice start as Script Editor and he surely set the bar for the series yet-to-come. _King Of The Railway_ and _Tale Of The Brave_ were both opportunities well-spent for him as a step-up in his role as Head Writer, and season 17 and 18 were consistently a large improvement. _The Adventure Begins_ being the strongest of his work, with a minor step-down in season 19 but a huge step-up with _Sodor's Legend Of The Lost Treasure_ and season 20 still in progress, how did Brenner's script work out here. Well, I'm sorry to say and most of you guys may agree, but this was a major step-down and I mean that in a since that I've never seen our Head Writer make so many mistakes, espescially for a Thomas film. Surely, _The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead_ had it's problems, and PLEASE don't get me started on _The Other Side Of The Mountain_. But Brenner's work during season 19 was hit-or-miss, as he had some strong stories there, and I could say about the same thing about the script here. It had it's moments, and quite a lot of them too, but it's like I said, Thomas (in the 1st half) and Phillip's characterization threw me off completely, as Vinnie's arc. Other then that, there was nothing that bad about the film was written. We had a nice premise with the Great Railway Show, though after _Will You, Won't You?_, things started falling apart, but they picked up again when the Shunting Challenge came into display. I feel like Thomas admitting his motive for the Great Railway Show was a nice way to start their friendship, and it fixes up his character in a rather effective way, as was the instance where he tried to prove himself for the Shunting Challenge, and the scene with him and Sir Topham Hatt at the SteamWorks was very genuine; it showed more of the fatherly figure of Sir Topham Hatt's character, and I was very touched by it. Overall, Andrew Brenner tried hard with the storytelling and I don't think he carelessly meant for it to be a failure, not like what Britt Allcroft seemingly did to screw up _Thomas And The Magic Railroad_ by handling it all on her own, but I'd even have to say that some of Sharon Miller's work, with a possible exception of _Misty Island Rescue_, was better than this. But props to Brenner for trying here, especially with a RWS-related concept/premise. **6/10**.

**8\. Direction**

What's there really so say about the direction? Lol, I have a difficult time thinking of this. I guess all I can say is that David Stoten did a really great job, as he might have _directed_ Arc throughout their work here, so nothing really to complain about. **9.5/10**.

**Overall Rating:**

Overall, _The Great Race_ was a major step-down from Andrew Brenner's previous works written for feature-length, but I do believe there was _some_ effort, and that's what's important. The storytelling was probably somewhere between _Day Of The Diesels_ and _Misty Island Rescue_, though it was still much stronger than the latter film, and definitely better than the major disappointment that _The Magic Railroad_ was. But the animation was spot-on, and the voice acting and Mark Moraghan's performance were both consistent. A rather strong start for our new composer Chris Renshaw, even if the songs weren't necessarily perfect, but I look forward to seeing how the musical aspect can be improved and expanded upon in future specials. Despite major flaws, the film wasn't all that bad, but what it lacks is the originality and the charm that made _Tale Of The Brave_ and _The Lost Treasure_ favorites of mine. I don't believe this means that Andrew Brenner is no better than Sharon Miller, who mostly surprised us when it came to feature-length specials, or Britt Allcroft who basically just inherited the world of Thomas and bought her own failure upon herself. In the end, _The Great Race_ is still a good film with the redeeming values it had. **8/10**. I look forward to seeing what's in store for the rest of season 20. The episodes so far are very promising, and probably up to standard of the first two seasons, and I'm sure that _Journey Beyond Sodor_ will be a fine improvement if Brenner puts together a compatible storyline and compelling characters. Till then, be sure to come back soon for Part I of my S20 review (depending on how much better the airing schedule performs than last year's disappointment)


End file.
